Dream Weaver
by Fyreheart
Summary: Sarah Williams stumbles across Diagon Alley in London and eventually accepts a part-time job at Hogwarts. AU Disclaimer: I own only my thoughts and ideas, not the marvelous worlds that others created.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Sarah Discovers the Wizarding World**

Sarah Williams was delighted to learn that more than one magical world existed alongside the mundane world as she knew it.

She had been a reasonably normal girl for much of her life although she always had a love of fantasy. Much of that fascination came when her parents divorced and she looked for an escape from the pain and confusion she felt. Her mother went on to become a moderately successful actress but forgetful parent, while her father met and married another woman who wanted to be a wife, mother and home-maker.

Sadly, the young teenager felt on the outside of the new family, and believed that her father, step-mother and their baby son was the real family, while she was a tolerated yet not necessarily welcome part of the home. She resented that feeling and retreated more and more into her fantasy world, acting out the role of the beautiful and powerful princess or the spirited heroine.

On one day when she was particularly frustrated and ill-tempered, she accidentally wished her brother away to the goblins using a line from a book she had read, and she was horrified to discover that fantasy sometimes had a basis in reality. However, she stubbornly assumed the role of the courageous heroine and won him back from the wicked Goblin King, meeting and making unusual friends along the way.

Through her adventures in the Labyrinth, Sarah realized that life wasn't always fair and that sometimes things weren't what they seemed. Her parent's divorce might not have been _fair_ to her, but she was responsible for her reactions to it. She decided that perhaps her father's second wife (who went by her middle name of Karen rather than her first name of Irene) wasn't quite the evil step-mother Sarah had made her out to be and tried to treat her with a tiny bit of friendship and respect. She was shocked and a little ashamed to discover how easygoing and forgiving Karen could be.

When Sarah requested to take self-defense classes, not liking that she had frequently felt helpless during her journey through the Labyrinth, she was surprised that Karen supported her, persuading her father that no young girl should be defenseless in this day and age. Karen took her to visit various judo, aikido and karate centers until they eventually agreed on karate and an instructor. Once she began, Sarah quickly moved from a white belt to yellow to green and then slowly worked through three level of brown belts until she finally earned her first Dan; her first black belt.

Sarah found that _karate-do_, the way of the empty hand, not only kept her physically fit, but helped balance her energy as well as control her touchy and explosive temper. When she felt herself becoming angry, the breathing exercises she learned helped her manage it. And if breathing didn't help, the daily exercises let her release the negative energy.

As she moved through high school, Sarah found that playing other people had lost some of its luster, and she began looking for other outlets for her creative energies. She tried painting, but while her artwork had interesting subjects, her execution was merely passable. She tried singing, and although her voice captivated her audiences, she decided that it wasn't fulfilling enough to pursue professionally. Finally, in a creative writing class in high school, she discovered that her imaginative writing took her readers to new lands and introduced them to new cultures and creatures, leaving them wanting more. Perhaps it wasn't too surprising that some of her more popular characters were based on individuals she met in the Labyrinth.

**_______________**

Sarah majored in English and Creative Writing at college. Once established in her first dormitory room, she was amazed to find that not only did she have a human college roommate, but inhuman ones as well. The first was Deidre, a young woman who found her first time away from home to be the perfect opportunity to drink, party and explore relationships away from her parents' supervision. As a result, she wasn't in their room all that much, and when she was there, she and Sarah had little in common.

The other roommates were the more interesting ones. Sarah kept seeing something out of the corner of her eye and hearing sounds when no one should be around. Her books seemed to move on her own when she was out of the room and her pencils somehow always wound up on the floor. When they started getting bite marks as well, she had enough.

"OK, come out come out wherever you are" she said to the room after seeing a movement in her peripheral vision. She could have sworn she heard a giggle.

"Or should I say come out come out _whoever_ you are" she chuckled. To her surprise, a little pale green figure only a foot tall slipped into her line of vision.

It stood looking at her inquisitively and then grinned broadly when it realized she could actually see him. "Hey Lady" he finally said, nodding his head.

"A goblin" she thought looking into its yellow eyes and began her breathing exercises. After several deep breaths she ventured a smile at the little figure. "Hello there. I'm Sarah. What should I call you?"

"Everyone knows the Lady Sarah" he said in a high-pitched voice, as if surprised she didn't know that. "You can call me Grep" he added as an afterthought.

"Well hello Grep. It's a pleasure to meet you. Do you live here at the university?"

"Grep lives here now since this is where the Lady is. The Lady leaves and Grep leaves." He shrugged disinterested and began opening her backpack, looking for anything amusing or enticing.

"Oh. Um, you're here because of me?"

"The Lady needs to be protected" came his muffled voice from inside her backpack. He emerged with a large eraser and bit it, then grinned. "Chewy!"

"Are you my protector, Grep?" she asked with an amused grin at the little goblin. He didn't even come up to her knee.

"Grep and Broul" he said around a mouthful of eraser.

"Broul? There's another one here? Where is Broul?" Sarah turned and looked around the room.

"Not here. Sometimes we's both here and sometimes we's not. Today just Grep." After eating her eraser, he wandered to her roommate's closet and began rearranging the shoes, pushing to the back under a blanket on the floor. She watched with amusement as he nodded with satisfaction when the chosen shoe was thoroughly hidden.

Over the next year, she found that Grep liked to knock things over and hide things (mostly her roommate's items) while Broul, a darker green goblin only two inches taller than Grep liked to leave crumbs of anything he could find in her roommate's bed. Neither of them played tricks on Sarah, although she frequently found bite marks on her possessions and had to furnish them with a steady supply of erasers. She found that they also liked potato chips (Broul always kept one to break in Deidre's bed), cookies and ramen noodles. After finding the waste basket in the common room overturned several times, she thought they might also like the leftovers they found in there as well.

Broul liked to sit in her lap while she worked sometimes, playing with rubber bands or paper clips while Grep could frequently be found on her shoulder, playing with her hair, frequently tying it in loops and knots. To her own surprise, Sarah didn't mind the little goblins. They sometimes entertained her with happenings Underground, such as what happened after a goblin named Brastang suggested a chicken festival. The larger goblins had chicken herding games while the smaller ones had chicken riding contests. Their antics became part of her creative writing assignments and went into the short stories she was accumulating in the hopes of finding a publisher some day.

"Sarah, you can't spend every weekend working on homework, practicing your martial arts and reading" warned Deidre for the umpteenth time. "You need to get out and date more!"

"I do date sometimes, Deidre" Sarah returned calmly. This was a familiar discussion that occurred every few weeks. "I just don't date seriously and romance has to take a back seat to my grades." She smiled at the other girl.

Deidre shook her head at Sarah. "You do attract men, Sar. With that raven hair, large brown doe eyes and your trim figure, men do seem fascinated." She was a petite, but plump blonde herself who seemed to attract the party animals..and liked it that way. What was odd was that her beautiful roommate rarely had men ask her for a third date. In fact, they usually just looked at her with either fearful or regretful glances, and kept their distance. Neither she nor Sarah were sure why, but as none of her dates had been more than a pleasant way to spend a few free hours, Sarah didn't seem too offended by it. Instead, she put more energy into her studies.

Sarah continued her karate studies with her academia, eventually earning her second Dan black belt. Grep and Broul were uncomfortable with her sparring, and she had to promise them she wouldn't be hurt and that her sparring partners were actually _helping_ her to improve her skill. Even so, they grimaced every time she went to a class, as if they were failing in their duty.

During her second winter term at college, her father was transferred to the London branch of their corporate offices for a year, and Karen and Toby planned to follow when Toby completed that school year. They offered Sarah a home with them as well, so she investigated British universities, then applied to and was accepted by Royal Holloway, University of London in their English program which included a creative writing department.

"Guys" she said to the goblins one evening, "what will you do when I go to England?"

Broul looked at her and cocked his head. "What do you mean, Lady?"

"Well I won't be here anymore. I'll be very far away, across an ocean. What will you two do?"

Grep and Broul exchanged puzzled looks. "We's go where the Lady goes" Grep finally said confused. "Once the Lady is settled, Grep and Broul will be there."

"Oh." Sarah smiled at their confused looks. "Silly me, it didn't occur to me that you would go to another country to protect me."

Broul shrugged. One Aboveground place was the same as another as far as he was concerned. Grep was a little more troubled. "The Lady wants Grep and Broul…doesn't she?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course I do! I'm glad to know you'll both be there" she replied with a warm smile and Grep beamed back relieved.

_______________

Once she arrived in England, Sarah had to overcome some initial uneasiness at hearing men speaking with accents similar to what she remembered the Goblin King using. She eventually stopped jumping when a male voice with a pronounced British accent said her name and settled in to her classes and enjoyed exploring the London sights with her family. At the end of the year, when the rest of the family returned to the United States, Sarah decided that she enjoyed her classes and the London community so well, she would stay and finish her degree there.

Once she was by herself in London, Sarah spent more time exploring the non-tourist sites. She was surprised to discover that Grep or Broul seemed to follow her as she explored, sometimes riding in her backpack, sometimes just appearing in her peripheral vision. When she asked about it, the only answer was a shrug and another comment about "protecting" her.

She had an opportunity to see just how they protected her two weeks after her family left. She had been out exploring second hand shops and books stores in Cecil Court before turning on to Charing Cross Road. There she found another bookstore and spent a pleasant half hour browsing through it. When she exited, a man dressed a bit oddly in a purple suit and dark green cape bumped into her and muttered something about "muggles". She attempted to move to her right to avoid him, but he moved the same way and her book bag caught him in the side. To her surprise, he immediately pulled his hand out of his pocket holding what appeared to be a black stick and growled at her as if she had attacked him.

She began settling into a potential fighting stance just in case he attempted to attack her, but was amazed when Broul appeared, jumped up and viciously bit the hand holding the stick. The strange man didn't seem to have seen Broul, but jumped and nearly dropped his stick, then turned with an expletive and hurried off. She watched him seemingly disappear just beyond the bookstore but before the music store after it.

She tried to focus on the area, and found her eyes continually sliding away. Broul came back snarling from chasing the man. "You OK Lady?" he asked with a scowl.

"Yes, thank you Broul." She dropped to her knee, presumably to look through her shopping bag, but quietly asked the little goblin "Did you see where the man went?"

He scowled again and pointed beside the book store. "In there." Sarah looked but couldn't quite focus. "Would you give me your hand please, Broul?" she asked softly. He looked puzzled but obediently held her hand. Immediately, her eyes stopped sliding away and a previously unseen building front came into focus.

"Well I'll be…" she thought to herself. "Is this related to the Underground?" she asked Broul. He looked uncomfortable and shook his head no, not answering anything else. She let go of his hand, and while it was hard to focus on the building, if she looked intently, she could now see a door and windows set into the front of a building. "The Leaky Cauldron" was on a sign above the door.

She debated briefly, then moved forward and opened the door, hearing Broul muttering behind her. Inside, she found a somewhat dark and timeworn pub. A number of tables were visible in the large front room as well as an ancient bar. A narrow hallway led off to what were presumably private dining rooms. A handsome wooden staircase led upstairs.

An old gentleman was tending bar for the few visible patrons. No one seemed to notice her or pay much attention, until she heard a polite "excuse me, miss" behind her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was blocking the way" she said and stepped hurriedly aside. The woman in a long dress merely nodded at her and walked to the back of the room and outside again into what appeared to be a courtyard. Curious, Sarah followed and watched the woman tap the brick wall facing her. To her surprise, the brick wall began dissolving and another street could be seen. The woman stepped through and before she could debate with herself, Sarah followed before the wall reformed.

***************

_Welcome to my new story. This is a crossover between the Labyrinth and Hogwarts from the Harry Potter books, although perhaps with changes of my own design. I hope you enjoy it!_


	2. Diagon Alley

**Chapter 2 – Diagon Alley**

Immediately outside of The Leaky Cauldron, Sarah found a brick paved road enclosed by a variety of shops. "A shopping district" she mused, "but not in London itself". Was this another realm entirely similar to the Underground?

Looking back, she saw the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron, and was relieved to know she had a way out. "Stupid woman, what would you have done if you were stuck here?" she thought to herself. "Always make sure you have an escape route."

Directly to her left was a "cauldron" shop while an apothecary shop was to her right. Sarah grinned, delighted to have found something new to explore. She entered the apothecary shop and looked around. She found a variety of tools for mixing and preparing medicines and potions, as well as a variety of pre-made and labeled bottles. "Tincture of Valerian, Elixir Bardana, Essence of Water Dock" she read as she moved carefully through the shop, making sure not to bump anything with her bags. "Stoughton's Bitter's, Blackrie's Lixivium, Daffey's Elixirs" were among the many items on the shelves, along with crucibles, mortars, pestles, boxes and vials.

"May I help you dearie?" asked a middle-aged dark haired woman behind the counter dressed in a long robe and wearing spectacles.

"No thank you" Sarah replied politely. "This is my first time here, so I was just acquainting myself with what each shop has." She smiled and then said "If you don't mind, of course."

"Not at all dearie. Welcome to Diagon Alley. You're from the States?" the woman replied pleasantly.

"Yes." Sarah grinned and said "The accent is hard to hide, isn't it?"

"We have people come from all over, so don't be embarrassed. Go ahead and look, so you'll know where to come when you need something." The older woman smiled and went back to the ledger open in front of her on the counter.

After several minutes, Sarah bid her farewell and continued along the right side of the street. The next shop window was filled with a variety of oddities and what appeared to be holographic pictures all about something called Quidditch. The store seemed to offer supplies for this..thing…sport? There were different sized balls for sale, with signs naming them as quaffles and bludgers. A small winged sphere seemed to dart around the window display. Wooden clubs similar to baseball bats were also prominently displayed. She smiled at the display, but decided not to go in the shop, more curious about what was further down the street.

A stationary shop that also sold parchment paper, scrolls, a variety of quill pens and a myriad of ink and ink wells was the next shop. "I wonder what they have against ball point pens?" she wondered. "Or computers and printers? Well, each to their own, I suppose."

She smiled in delight at Flourish and Blott's, the store after the stationary shop. A bookstore! Now this was something she would enjoy.

She wandered through the store, noticing that her attire seemed to gain her a few odd looks. Most of the women seemed to be in long dresses or wore robes as outerwear, so her black jeans and turquoise t-shirt did make her stand out a bit. However, the lure of a new bookstore drew her attention more than the quizzical stares.

She was amazed that most of the books seemed to come with the holographic pictures, as their subjects moved as she looked at them. She smiled in delight at the fantastic subjects the books covered, and couldn't resist picking up a few as she browsed, including "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", "A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions" as well as "A History of Magic". All of them would be excellent resources for her short stories, she thought.

When she went up to the counter to pay, she wasn't prepared for the clerk to say "That will be two galleons, fifty-seven sickles and 9 knuts, please."

"Oh dear, I only have British pound notes" Sarah said in dismay.

"If you want to change them at Gringotts, I will be happy to hold these books at the counter for you until you return" the clerk offered.

Sarah smiled at the helpful woman. "Yes please. Where is Gringotts?"

"Turn right out of the door, and it's the large white building a couple doors down" the clerk replied with her own smile, trying to hide her curiosity about the Muggle before her.

"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can" Sarah replied.

Leaving the bookstore, she passed Madam Malkin's, which apparently housed a tailor shop for robes followed by another shop with an ambiguous sign. The next structure was a large and imposing building that towered over the other shops. "Gringotts Wizarding Bank" read the sign on the white marble structure. "Wow" she thought. "A wizarding bank? As in it's for _wizards_?"

She walked up the white stairs towards the bronze doors, and then stopped in surprise at seeing a goblin in a scarlet and gold uniform stationed outside. "A goblin?" She looked around and realized that others could see the goblin as well, some ignoring him, but some nodding briefly at him as they entered. She wasn't aware that goblins were known well outside of the Underground.

She walked to the doors and nodded politely to the goblin, surprised when his eyes widened and he then scrambled to open the door for her, bowing as he said "Welcome Lady". She smiled and replied "thank you" for his courtesy, not noticing the elderly gentleman with the long silvery beard who entered behind her was watching the goblin's actions with surprise.

A small entrance hall led to another set of doors and she paused to read the words engraved on them.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there._

Two more uniformed goblins flanked the second set of doors. Again, both goblins looked at her with awe and bowed her deferentially through the doors, and she again smiled and offered her thanks for their consideration. The elderly gentleman looked at her more closely with great curiosity in his amused eyes.

Entering in to the bank, she found an enormous marble hall with dozens of goblins behind the counters acting as tellers. These were definitely a different breed from those she had met Underground, she realized. All of them were dressed in suits from a bygone era and were working diligently with either customers or ledgers. There was a large hallway off the main room with scores of doors. Large crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, filling the bank with warm light. She paused and looked around curiously, intrigued with a goblin run bank.

"Excuse me, my dear. Is this your first time at Gringott's?" asked a kindly voice. Sarah jumped slightly as she was surprised out of her examination of the bank. She turned and met the twinkling blue eyes of a tall, thin and elderly man with a silver moustache and an exceptionally long beard that easily reached to his waist. He had a long and crooked nose, on which were perched half-moon spectacles. He wore long intricately embroidered robes that moved faintly as he seemed to rock on his heels looking at her.

"Albus Dumbledore, at your service my dear" he said with a small bow and then waited politely but expectantly.

"Sarah Williams and yes, this is my first visit" she replied to his question. "I need to change some British notes into…" she paused to remember what the clerk had said "…galleons, sickles and knuts."

"Then I should be welcoming you to Diagon Alley?" he asked trying to satisfy his curiosity. "How did you arrive?"

"I just came through The Leaky Cauldron today" she said with a smile.

"Forgive me for being so inquisitive my dear, but you're not a witch, are you?" the elderly wizard asked.

"A witch? No, I've been called a variety of things, but rarely a witch" she answered with good-humor. If this was a "wizarding" bank, she shouldn't be surprised that it serviced wizards and witches.

He looked very interested as if he would love to talk with her, but his attention was drawn to the goblins lining the counters. Those closest to them had noticed Sarah and the wizard speaking, and had nudged their neighbors. Now he could hear a few whispers of what sounded like "the Lady" as more and more goblins began turning in their direction.

He nodded towards the goblins and said kindly "Just step up to any free goblin and they will be able to change your pounds. Just don't take it personally if they are a bit…gruff."

Sarah smiled, thanked him and moved off to find a free goblin. As she headed towards one, another goblin in a Victorian style suit approached her and bowed as she paused. "Lady, welcome to Gringotts. I am Gealcher, Day Manager. How may I serve you?"

"I just wanted to exchange some pound notes. Unless of course, you happen to have a few minutes to spare? If so, perhaps you would be kind enough to answer a few questions for me" she replied with a smile at the friendly goblin.

"Of course, Lady. My office is this way" he held out an arm towards the hall and bowed again.

Once they were settled in his office hidden away behind one of the many doors in the long hallway, she beamed a smile at him again. "May I ask how you seem to know me?" she asked curiously.

"The Champion of the Labyrinth is well-known, Lady. Over the centuries, only a small handful have completed it. It is no great wonderment that the Champion is recognized and respected."

"Oh", she said with some surprise. She had no idea that completing the Labyrinth would have made her some type of celebrity. "I didn't realize that anyone outside of the Underground would even know about the Labyrinth."

"Although we are a different species of goblins, we all serve the same King" Gealcher replied "and we keep track of that which happens that impacts the King. Having a Champion of the Labyrinth is something we notice."

"Thank you" Sarah murmured. She was a little uncomfortable with the mention of the Goblin King. "What can you tell me about this…world? Realm?"

"The Wizarding world exists alongside that of your world, Lady" he answered deferentially. "Diagon Alley is slightly…beside…your world, but most wizard homes, businesses and schools exist alongside those without magic. They are hidden and secluded, invisible to the non-magical population. Wizards call humans without magic Muggles."

Gealcher graciously spent the better part of half an hour patiently explaining the wizarding world to her, rewarded by her rapt and courteous attention. He called another goblin in to exchange some currency for her, giving her gold galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts. She had a hard time understanding the money; twenty-nine knuts to a sickle and seventeen sickles to a galleon, meaning one galleon had 493 knuts. She shook her head, just happy she had enough to purchase the books she wanted at Flourish and Blott's.

She left the bank, again bowed out by the goblins flanking the doors and returned to the bookstore. The clerk welcomed her back and she happily purchased her books, adding them to the bag she was already carrying.

She continued walking down the street, passing the bank again and found a Magical Menagerie shop. She looked in the windows, noticing a variety of interesting animals, but didn't go in for fear that she would be too tempted to bring something home and not be able to keep it.

She browsed through the Gambol and Japes joke shop, and had to laugh several times at their inventory. Belch powder, grow-your-own-wart kits, dung bombs, whizzing worms, a nose-biting teacup? She decided she wasn't brave enough just yet to try any of their items.

A narrow shop with a simple window display caught her attention next. The sign over the door read "Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." which made her blink and wonder if it was true. The window display had a single wand resting on a velvet pillow, as if that was all the enticement a shopper would need. That's what the man in purple was holding, she realized, a magic wand! He must have thought she was attacking him and brought his wand out to defend himself. She blushed hoping she could apologize to him at some point.

Out of curiosity, she entered the shop. It was an ancient store, almost shabby in due to its well worn appearance, but what was amazing was that the walls were lined from floor to ceiling with hundreds, perhaps thousands of narrow boxes.

A white haired man came out when the bell tinkled on the door. He looked at her sharply and then cocked his head. "Not here for a wand, are you young lady?"

"Oh no sir" Sarah replied truthfully. "I have no magic. I was just curious about what a wand shop looked like. I didn't mean to bother you."

"Nonsense, everyone has some magic" the man scoffed. "It's whether they have enough to use, or have the type of magic that can be manipulated that determines whether they get a wand or not." He looked her over carefully. "Your magic is a different type, young lady. Yours is of dreams and imagination, although…I see something else in you." He looked at her as if she was a puzzle. "Almost as if you were of two different worlds" he commented.

"What happens when a…Muggle…tries to use a magic wand?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing at all usually" he replied with a small smile. "Every so often they have just enough magic to surprise themselves and those around them, but usually Muggles are too sedate and grounded to use what little magic they have."

"Why do you have so very many wands? Are there that many people looking?"

He snorted at the question. "Every wand is different and wand lore is a complex and mysterious branch of magic. The heart or core of the wand is magical in nature, perhaps a hair from a unicorn tail, or a phoenix or griffin feather, or a dragon heartstring. The wood can be rigid or flexible, it can be made of any number of trees. The sheer combination of cores, woods, flexibility and sizes is why I have thousands of wands. The wand chooses the wizard. They may be able to use another wand, but a single core, wood, length and flexibility is what will best suit them."

Sarah chatted with the proprietor for several minutes until a father came in with his young son for his first wand, and Sarah politely bid Mr. Ollivander good day.

She realized it was getting late in the day, so headed back to The Leady Cauldron. Fortunately, there was a door that opened directly into the pub and she walked through, nodding at the bartender before returning to the larger London that she was learning to know. She saw Broul following in the shadows and realized he had disappeared once she entered Gringotts bank, but was pleased to see him again.

She would have to return another day to explore Diagon Alley again, she thought as she arrived home with her purchases.

***************


	3. An Unexpected Discovery

**Chapter 3 – An Unexpected Discovery**

Now that Sarah has seen the wizarding world, she discovered that many things were no longer hidden from her. She occasionally noticed other oddly dressed people in London and realized most people seemed to not see them.

When her family returned to the United States, Sarah refused to accept any more money than was absolutely necessary for her tuition and board and realized she needed to find a part-time job to help make ends meet. "Perhaps I will scour the city over the weekend until I find something", she thought to herself.

While she was sitting in the common room with several other girls from her floor working on their last home work of the week, one of their floor mates bounced cheerfully into the room. Madison was the admittedly spoiled daughter of well-to-do but divorced parents who each indulged their daughter with whatever she wanted. They both provided her with an allowance and credit cards, but surprisingly she wasn't as self-centered as one would think.

"Listen up ladies" she began brightly waving a large envelope in the air to get their attention. "David and I had a weekend trip scheduled to Scotland leaving Friday and returning Sunday night. But now his grandmother has invited us for the weekend, and apparently it's a command performance." She grinned mischievously. "It's too late to get the tickets refunded, so who wants my berth on the Caledonian Sleeper and hotel accommodations in Edinburgh?"

Every girl at the table raised their hands, so Madison laughed and had them pick numbers between one and one hundred, and then gave the envelope to Sarah for being closest to thirteen with her guess of twelve. "Enjoy Sarah! You work too hard and deserve a fun weekend. Tell me about it when you get back and I'll share stories about Grandmother Millicent."

"Thank you, Madison! This is a great treat!" She smiled gratefully at her floor mate. "I looked into the Caledonian Sleeper before and saw that it was listed as 'the most civilised, romantic, time-effective and environmentally-friendly way from central London to the heart of Scotland.' I think it's worth another week of ramen noodles to take the trip instead of job hunting!"

Sarah had to forego her morning class to take the early morning train, but was waiting at Euston station, duffle bag in hand with what she would need for her three day vacation by 7:00 AM Friday. She picked up several brochures on the train and tried to plan her weekend during the smooth ride. A day trip by coach to Inverness that passed through Loch Ness looked like a fine way to spend Saturday, she decided.

Once in Edinburgh, Sarah headed to the Apex City Hotel where Madison already had reservations. She was pleased to find it nestled in the historic Grassmarket region at the base of the city castle. Her pleasure increased rapidly when she discovered she had an executive room tastefully decorated in an avant-garde modern décor.

After checking in, she visited Edinburgh castle and then Greyfriars, before wandering the streets and enjoying the sights. After a delicious dinner in the hotel dining room and a restful night's sleep in the luxurious bed, she woke with a great deal of energy. After breakfast, she slung her duffle bag over her shoulder rather than leave it in the hotel room just in case she decided to spend the night in Inverness.

It appeared that there were several stops on the coach route that would take her to Loch Ness, but when she exited at the one she thought was appropriate, no sooner had the bus left than she realized she must have exited one stop too soon.

She muttered a curse and kicked at a stone in the road as she looked around. There was an aging ruin off the road in one direction, and green hills and trees as far as she could see in the other. Grumbling at her stupidity, she looked back at the ruins and then blinked in surprise. What she had thought were the moldering remains of a fortress from bygone ages now appeared to be a well-maintained castle. Sarah frowned, not understanding how she could have thought it was a ruin, but decided to head in that direction although with caution. "Not everything is what it seems, Sarah" she reminded herself. "But perhaps they will have a phone and I can call for a taxi."

As she walked towards the castle, she realized it was a huge and rambling structure that was at least seven stories tall, with a jumble of towers and battlements. A well worn drive led to the main entrance and its huge oaken doors.

To the east of the castle was a large dark forest, thick with trees as well as dense undergrowth. As she got closer, she realized that off the pathway that led into the forest, it is almost impassable. She skirted around the edge of the heavily wooded area as she continued towards the castle, but stopped in stunned amazement when she rounded a clump of trees.

A dozen yards ahead of her lay the most fantastic creature she had ever seen. It had the head, wings, and forelegs of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. The creature's eyes were orange and the body bronze, in both the feathered and hide areas. It raised its head as her foot snapped a twig and rumbled a warning sound at her. Looking more closely, she realized it wasn't resting in the shade of a fallen tree, but trapped beneath it.

Sarah approached the animal cautiously as the large beak implied it was a predator and that it could easily rip her apart. She kept her eyes on its orange eyes, maintaining contact as she edged forward, looking carefully to see if it was going to attack. She talked softly and soothingly. "Hello, you beautiful thing. You're in a bit of a jam, aren't you? May I get close enough to see how I can help?" When she was very close, she realized there was a great deal of intelligence in its pain-filled eyes, almost as if it could understand her.

She stayed still, talking quietly, letting the creature get used to her presence. Before she stepped closer though, she inclined her head slightly and said "May I come closer?" and waited to see its reaction. To her surprise, the animal bowed its feathered head in return. Taking that as acceptance, she stepped closer and saw that it must have crashed through the tree and that one wing was pinned to the ground by a sharp branch with at least a four inch circumference. The head turned towards the wing, but couldn't reach the branch itself. "Oh dear, you poor thing, you must be in so much pain" she exclaimed softly.

A rumbling squawk greeted that comment. "I'm so sorry; let me see what I can do. I'll bet you could lift the trunk with your body if your wing wasn't pinned." Another rumble seemed to agree with her. Looking under the wind, she saw there was about a six inch gap between the bottom of the wing and the ground where the tip of the branch was jammed.

She took a deep breath and looked back at the creature that was watching her closely. "OK, I can break the branch between your wing and the ground and I think I can do it without jarring your wing too badly. It will take a fast sharp movement on my part, so I don't want to startle you too badly when I do it. I'll have to do it once below the wing and once above it. Shall I go ahead?"

The great head bowed once as if agreeing with her and Sarah decided to accept that as proof of its intelligence. If not, the monster beak would probably decapitate her when she struck at the branch.

Sarah knelt by the wing and focused her energies on a single point in the branch below the creature's wing. She imagined her instructor's comments as they first learned to break boards in her karate class. The angle was different, but the principle was the same. She took a deep breath and then with a lightning-fast move, her hand shot out move through the wood as if it wasn't there. The wood split in two, leaving the bottom of the wing free. The animal rumbled once, but whether in appreciation or surprise, she wasn't sure. Sarah stood and focused on the branch limb above the wing and gathering her energy again, she snapped out her hand and broke the branch above the wing.

The creature gathered its legs under its body and thrust upwards while Sarah scrambled to help support the weight as much as she could. With a mighty push, the tree trunk was thrown aside and the wounded animal stepped away quickly, pushing Sarah aside as it did. Sarah was glad it had, as the tree trunk would have hit her as it came back down.

The animal stopped and looked at her, then bowed towards her. Instinctively, she met its eyes and returned the bow, then smiled softly. "Where can we take you to get your wing treated you lovely thing? You can't go flying off like this."

The eagle head moved as if pointing towards the castle and they moved off together covering the distance as quickly as the wounded animal could move. The creature moved off to the side of the castle rather than approaching it directly and eventually Sarah noticed a wooden cabin. As they drew near the cabin, the eagle beak opened to issue a low bellow. The door opened and a voice said "Ere now, what's this?" as an enormous man appeared and filled the doorway.

He had to have been well over eight feet tall she realized and was built like a small mountain. He had long wild black hair and an equally bushy black beard that obscured most of his face. "What's 'appened 'ere?" he demanded of Sarah as he moved towards the creature, stopping to bow before getting too close.

The creature bowed and the huge man moved over to the wing examining it closely. "I think it crashed and the tree branch pinned its wing to the ground. Once I broke the branch, it threw the tree off and came here to you."

"_It_ is a he" the giant rumbled. "And not much more than a baby, poor wee beastie. Don't worry little fella, Hagrid will take care of you." He started to lead the creature around the side of the hut, but it stopped and looked back at Sarah, squawking at her.

"Well come on then" the large man stated. "'e wants ye to come along."

"I'm not familiar with his species; he's not a griffin, is he?"

"Nah, 'e's a hippogriff. Back in ancient times, 'is kind was a cross twixt griffins and 'orses, but now they breed true." He led the young hippogriff to a shady straw lined area and left returning almost immediately with a bucket of water. "Now I could remove this branch, but I think it should be done magically, young fella, ta make sure there are no splinters left in. So you stay 'ere with this young lady…" he paused and looked at her inquiringly. "Sarah" she supplied. "You stay with young Sarah and I'll be right back with some 'elp."

He moved away, his size belying the speed with which he could move. Sarah moved closer to the hippogriff. "May I touch you?" she asked softly. At his nod, she gently stroked the head of the young creature while they waited for help.

In a very short time, Hagrid returned with a middle-aged woman he introduced as Madam Pomfrey. Sarah watched her bow to the hippogriff and receive a return bow before she approached the injured wing.

"I'm Hagrid" the huge man said as they watched the woman tend to the hippogriff. "The young'un there is Blazewing." The hippogriff rumbled as Hagrid gave his name.

"How do you know he's young?" Sarah asked, watching Madam Pomfrey pull out a wand and with a peculiar phrase and a swish of the wand, the branch disappeared from the wing.

"Well, 'is wingspan is only about three and a half meters. When 'e's full grown, it will be between six and seven meters and 'e'll be able to carry riders if he so chooses."

"But…wouldn't a flying hippogriff with a rider be seen?"

Hagrid snorted. "Only if 'is rider didn't keep a Disillusion charm on it so Muggles don't see 'im. So what were you doing walkin' around 'ere?" he asked.

Madam Pomfrey listened to the explanation as she murmured the appropriate spells over the wing and poured a potion over the injury before finally being satisfied. She gave the hippogriff a stroke down the back of his head to his neck and said firmly "No flying for at least one full day."

"I was just setting up tea when you arrived" Hagrid said once the healing was finished. "Will ye join me?" Madam Pomfrey declined, but Sarah decided to accept, especially when Blazewing rumbled at her softly.

When Madam Pomfrey re-entered the castle, she was pleased to see the Headmaster's form in the hallway. "Headmaster! A word please" she called and he obligingly turned in her direction.

"Yes Poppy?" he asked with a smile.

"I just thought you should know about the most interesting encounter I just had. A young Muggle woman found an injured hippogriff and from what I could tell, she also _saw_ the castle from the road."

"Indeed" replied Dumbledore with some surprise. "Perhaps Hagrid wouldn't mind me stopping in for a cup of tea" he considered, and headed off to the groundskeeper's cabin.

He heard voices chatting pleasantly as he approached and knocked. Entering at Hagrid's welcome, he was surprised to recognize the same young lady that had caught his attention at Gringotts when the goblins had behaved so oddly. Respect had never been their strongest attribute.

"Mr. Dumbledore!" Sarah said with surprise recognizing the elderly man as he entered.

"Miss Williams, a pleasure to see you again my dear" he replied with a small twinkle. He accepted the cup Hagrid poured for him and settled in to learn more about the young woman in front of him.

Over tea with some deft questioning, Sarah described coming from America when her father was transferred her for a year and studying creative writing at Royal Holloway, University of London. She explained that she had planned to spend the weekend looking for a part-time job, but couldn't resist the free weekend getaway when it fell into her lap.

"So you are seeking part-time employment, my dear? I would be neglectful if I failed to introduce you to Professor Charity Burbage who leads our Muggle Studies class. She would likely be delighted to hire you as an assistant."

"Muggle Studies?" asked Sarah.

"It is a course in the history, culture, and psychology of non-magical people. The class attempts to help young witches and wizards understand the difference between the way Muggles think and the way wizards think. Anyone who is seeking a position with Muggle Relations has to successfully complete their OWL examinations in the subject."

"Their OWL examinations? I apologize for repeating what you're saying like a parrot, but by OWL, I assume you don't mean the bird?"

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels or O.W.L. for short" Dumbledore laughed. "At the end of their fifth year, students are tested for each of the classes he or she takes."

"It sounds like a wonderful opportunity and I would adore spending time in a magic school, but I attend classes in London. I couldn't possibly hold a job in Scotland" she said sadly.

"No worries my dear" said Dumbledore with an indulgent smile. "If Professor Burbage approves hiring you, I will be happy to create a portkey for you."

"And dare I ask what a portkey is?" she asked with a smile.

"We charm an item to be set to transport the holder to and from specific locations. They can be set up to be time specific, one-way, or round-trip."

"And just touching it will activate it?" asked Sarah intrigued.

"Yes, although I imagine with enough thought I could make it word-activated" Dumbledore said thinking about it.

"Oh that wouldn't be necessary Headmaster. I have a locket that I always wear that my mother gave me. It has a picture on either side of the locket inside. Perhaps you could charm one of those? That way, I would have to consciously open the locket and touch inside before the transport would activate." She smiled looking up at him to make sure she was correct.

"Ingenious, my dear. Very good thinking" he said approvingly. "Let's go introduce you to Professor Burbage and see what she thinks."

They said goodbye to Hagrid and then walked around to bid farewell to Blazewing, who crooned softly at Sarah and she gently stroked the feathers above his eye ridges in response. With a sigh and a final caress, she left the lovely creature and joined Dumbledore as they walked up the drive to the double oak doors at the castle's entrance.

***************


	4. A Muggle at Hogwarts

**Chapter 4 – A Muggle at Hogwarts**

Dumbledore pointed out the castle's features and gave Sarah a running commentary about the history of the school as they walked to the Muggles Studies classroom on the first floor. Sarah learned that over a thousand years ago, the four greatest witches and wizards of the age were Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw. Together they formed this school where young people of the wizarding world could study and be trained. Each of them formed a house comprised of a portion of the students.

A plump matronly woman with light brown hair and rosy cheeks looked up with a smile as the Headmaster and the young woman entered her classroom.

"Good day Headmaster" she said cheerfully looking at the young woman next to him with blatant curiosity at the Muggle attire.

"Professor Burbage, may I introduce Miss Sarah Williams, a student from America who is studying in London. She is looking for part-time employment, and I thought you might be interested in an assistant."

"A Muggle as an assistant?" The plump woman beamed in obvious pleasure. "I couldn't ask for a better gift today. I accept! Assuming of course that Miss Williams does."

"It sounds fascinating Professor Burbage. But why don't you tell me what you would want me to do to make sure I'm qualified."

"Why I would want you to review the curriculum and the textbook, then the lesson plan. Give me your perception on the subjects, fill in with your own experiences, and offer any additional topics that we should cover." The older woman was practically squirming with excitement at the prospect of a Muggle assistant.

"Miss Williams, if you will give me your locket, I will create the necessary portkey for you. Charity, would you take her to Minerva to fill out the necessary paperwork please?" asked Dumbledore.

Sarah removed her locket and gave it to Dumbledore. "Thank you very much, Headmaster. I am very grateful for your courtesy and helpfulness" she said with a shy but delighted smile at the elderly wizard.

"Who is Minerva, Professor Burbage?" she asked as the older woman escorted her out of the classroom.

"Call me Charity, my dear except in the classroom. Professor Minerva McGonagall is the Deputy Headmaster, the Transfiguration instructor and the head of Gryffindor House. As the Deputy Headmaster, she will handle all the paperwork for your hiring."

"What is Transfiguration?"

"Oh dear, this is so exciting having a Muggle to speak with!" exclaimed Charity. "Transfiguration is magic which changes one object into another, including changing inanimate items and people."

"Oh! That's actually something I've heard of before" said Sarah with a smile. "In Greek mythology, the sorceress Circe used to capture sailors and transform them into pigs, and in Shakespeare's plays "A Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck transformed the head of a mortal into a donkey's head."

"Now that's exactly why we need to have a Muggle with us" said Charity with delight. "We are going to have such an excellent term, Sarah!"

They reached Professor McGonagall's office and found her going over what appeared to be a lesson plan inside. "Minerva, this is Sarah Williams, a Muggle who is going to be my assistant for the coming school year. She comes to us with Albus' recommendation and he asked us to come to you to complete her paperwork."

"A Muggle! How did you come to find Hogwarts, Miss Williams?" asked the surprised professor.

"I came across The Leaky Cauldron by accident and saw someone go through the back to Diagon Alley. There, I met Headmaster Dumbledore at the bank when I went to exchange some money. Then just today, I got off the coach at the wrong stop and saw the castle and decided to explore a bit."

"You _saw_ the castle?" Both witches seemed equally surprised and concerned by this comment.

"Yes, in fact it's interesting. At first I thought there were only ruins, but when I looked again, I saw the castle and no ruins. But ever since I found The Leaky Cauldron, I've been noticing more things that my eyes seemed to slide away from before. It's been both curious and interesting" Sarah replied. She looked at the two women. "I'm only _supposed_ to see ruins, aren't I?" she asked slowly.

"Yes, you are" replied Professor McGonagall. "We will have to examine the spells around the castles very carefully. I'll speak to the Headmaster. However, let's see about completing your paperwork first."

Professor Burbage seemed ready to sit down and join them to listen to Sarah's answers to the hiring questions until Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at her. Instead, she grinned at Sarah and said "I'm looking forward to speaking with you in-depth my dear. This is going to be the best term we've had in years! I will speak to you soon." She waved and departed.

Professor McGonagall asked a great many questions about Sarah's background, both from a home and education perspective, using a quill pen to record her responses. They had completed a good five parchment pages by the time Dumbledore came and returned her locket.

"I added some protective spells to it and will ask Professor Flitwick, the professor of Charms to add his own protections. While I don't anticipate any trouble, the protections will keep you from becoming a target of any magical high jinks by the students" he beamed with the ever present twinkle in his eye.

They bid goodbye to Professor McGonagall and began walking through the hallway again. "Tell me my dear, can I convince you to stay the night with us? You can have a tour of the castle and meet any of the professors that are on-site at breakfast or luncheon."

"That's very kind of you, Headmaster. I was going to stay in Inverness, but didn't have fixed plans. I would love to have a tour of the castle. In fact, is there a map available? That would help me learn my way around."

"It is not possible to create a continually accurate floor plan of Hogwarts, Miss Williams." At her surprised look he added "The rooms and staircases tend to migrate on occasion."

"Migrate? The rooms and staircases move?" Sarah felt a momentary unease. "What about the floors and walls?"

"The floors don't move, but the walls aren't always what they seem to be." At Sarah's raised eyebrow, Dumbledore explained "Sometimes the walls pretend to be doors. You can always ask the portraits where you are though, unless of course, they've gone off to visit another picture."

Sarah's lips twitched. "The subjects in the paintings leave their pictures and go to visit other pictures?"

Before he could answer, Sarah heard snickering coming from her left. Looking, she saw a knight and his lady in a portrait, and the lady was snickering behind her hand. "Greetings Sir Gragun and Lady Genevieve" said Dumbledore cheerfully.

"Good day Headmaster" said the knight with a bow.

"This is Miss Sarah Williams, who will be assisting with Muggle Studies this coming school term."

"Welcome young lady" said the knight politely, pleased when Sarah curtseyed even though she was in jeans. "Good day Sir Gragun" she said politely. "Lady Genevieve" she nodded.

The lady in the portrait uncovered her mouth saying brightly "Welcome! My apologies for laughing at your comment. 'Twas most rude of me."

"Not at all milady" Sarah replied genially. "I would be hard-pressed not to chuckle at someone as ignorant as myself." As Dumbledore moved on she said "Forgive me, I must be going. Good day to you both."

"Good day, Miss Williams" they responded and then began chatting about the novelty of finding a well mannered Muggle in the school.

Dumbledore led her to the fifth floor and asked her to press her palm to the door while he pulled out his wand and warded the room to only let her open it. Once the ward was in place, he stepped back and motioned her to enter, pleased with her audible gasp of astonishment and pleasure.

"This…this is something a king or queen would be proud to stay in" she exclaimed, looking at him in surprise. "This is too good for a Professor's Assistant."

He smiled genially. "This is a guest room that any guest might receive. Once you are Professor's Burbage's assistant, we can find more permanent quarters for you to use when you stay over."

"If you need anything before dinner, just call out to one of the house elves. I'll let them know that we have a guest."

"Forgive me Headmaster, but one of the house elves?"

"House-elves are small creatures who inhabit the homes of wealthy wizarding families" Dumbledore explained. "They are duty-bound to the family and will gladly perform all manner of tasks, from cooking to cleaning to errands. They also have their own form of magic. Hogwarts has scores of house elves that keep it operating."

"Before I forget, do not offer a house elf clothing. While they cover up with pillowcases and towels and the occasional tea cosy, they consider receiving clothing the ultimate shame and insult, except for one of ours named Dobby. One of the house elves will lead you to dinner this evening once you've had a chance to rest and wash up." With that, the Headmaster bowed slightly and strode away, his spritely gait belying his advanced years.

Sarah turned back to the guest room and shook her head in awe. It was richly decorated with stone columns supporting a wood paneled ceiling. The walls were a combination of stone block and hardwood panels and the floor was tiled in cream and brown, but covered with several thick brown rugs. A rosewood desk was by a large stained glass windows. The bed had a rich cream, brown and green tapestry bedspread and was piled with pillows. Two slipper chairs were situated by a stone fireplace with a small table between, upon which rested a tea set.

"I feel as if I'm a princess in a castle" she murmured.

_______________

"Sarah, why do you insist on turning my world upside down" Jareth muttered watching the crystal ball in his hand irritably as he sprawled across his throne.

For the past several years, he had been waiting for her to speak his name; mentally demanding, willing, even pleading that she acknowledge his existence. She had beaten his Labyrinth, rejected all of his offers, and then refused to say anything that would permit him back in her life. All it would take were a few syllables whispered by her exquisite lips; but she refused. The vixen knew that words had power and that names were even more powerful. She refused to let the words "I wish" or the title "Goblin King" or even the name "Jareth" to pass her lips.

She had even dared accept the courtship of other suitors after turning him down, although he smirked in satisfaction knowing that none had the courage to press their suit more than twice. He may not be able to appear to her, but he certainly could appear to any mortal foolish enough to ignore his claim on her, as well as send his goblins to their residences. Jareth wondered if she knew why those foolish mortal pups had stopped attempting to court her.

Jareth had growled when he had heard Broul report that she had found Diagon Alley, so he had begun watching her to make sure she was safe. But now she had accepted a position at Hogwarts? He knew about the conflict brewing in the mortal wizarding world and she would be at the center there.

In a realm where words had power, her stating "you have no power over me" effectively banished him from her presence. How could he protect her properly now? He was fortunate he could even watch her in his crystals. He scowled and threw the crystal in his hand against the wall with terrifying speed and force, listening to the satisfying crash it made as it hit and exploded into miniscule shards.

Perhaps he should let her suffer the consequences of her own choices, he thought viciously. He had been very generous up to now. He had assigned two protectors to watch over her, he had watched her through crystals himself, even though she refused to acknowledge him. He narrowed his eyes. Perhaps it was time to be cruel and let her understand the cost of defying him.

Jareth sighed and let his anger dissolve. She had eaten Fae food; she had danced in his arms and accepted his song. He had claimed her and he would be thrice damned in the seventh circle of Hell if he would be denied. Since he couldn't appear to her and couldn't protect his Chosen himself, he would work through those who could. He would send out the word to every goblin and elf in and near Hogwarts as well as Diagon Alley that he expected them to help keep her safe.

"Just say the words, Sarah" he muttered. "Just say the right words."

***************


	5. Dinner and Dreams

**Chapter 5 – Dinner and Dreams**

Grep and Broul popped into the rich guest room and looked around curiously. There were many things to explore in here, they noticed.

"Lady seems happy" Broul commented.

"Yes, I never expected to find a job in a magic school!" Sarah replied excitedly. "Charity seems delighted to have me, and would you believe I met a real hippogriff? He was beautiful, even if he was a youngster according to Hagrid."

Broul and Grep looked at each other followed by Broul popping out once Sarah began changing clothes for dinner. Grep waited until she sat down on the bed, and then jumped up beside her, looking at her locket. He crawled into her lap and sniffed at the familiar pendant. "Human magic" he announced with what seemed like disapproval.

"What's the matter, Grep? They enchanted my locket to let me travel from my school in London to here and back again, plus put some protections on it."

The little goblin frowned unhappily but conceded "Protection good. Magic school, not so good."

"Why not Greb? They seem like very nice people."

Grep looked at her gloomily. "Ask the nice people about the bad wizard" was all he would comment.

Sarah cocked her head and looked curiously at the small form. "Grep, do you think I'm not safe here?"

"Here, yes. Much human magic. Many wards." He turned his back and crawled down from the bed and began to explore the room, refusing to answer any other questions.

Charity knocked on the door of the guest room and smiled when Sarah responded quickly, pleased that the younger woman had changed to slightly dressier black jeans and a royal blue cotton top. "Are you ready for dinner, Sarah? I thought I would come bring you down myself rather than having one of the house elves do so. It gives us the chance to chat on the way."

She led them back to the Great Hall on the first floor, mentioning "There are several professors on-site, but the rest will be here in the next few weeks to prepare for the Autumn term." Sarah paused as they entered the immense room. Looking up, the ceiling seemed to be exposed to the outside, but Sarah quickly realized it was merely enchanted to appear that way.

Four long rows of tables with individual seats took up most of the room. At the far end was a raised platform with similar tables for the teachers, where five were already seated. She recognized Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall along with Madam Pomfrey. In addition, there was a pale clean-shaven man with shoulder-length black hair and a very small man with a shock of white hair, beard and moustache. Charity led her to the dais and presented her.

"I'm delighted to introduce my new assistant for the coming term. This is Miss Sarah Williams. Sarah, you already know the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall …" Sarah smiled and nodded politely to the two. "I also had the pleasure of meeting Madame Pomfrey when she so efficiently treated Blazewing" she said with a nod of respect to the matron. Madame Pomfrey inclined her head politely in return.

"Then let me introduce Professors Snape and Flitwick. Professor Snape" she indicated the dark-haired man "is our Potions Master and Slytherin House Head while Professor Flitwick is the Charms Master and is the of Ravenclaw House Head."

"Good evening gentlemen, a pleasure to make your acquaintances" Sarah said politely.

Professor Snape looked Sarah over as if she were something distasteful and sneered "A Muggle? How…progressive…of you Headmaster" before turning away and ignoring Sarah. If he had looked, he would have seen her lips twitch in a barely repressed smile as she wondered if he was a long-lost cousin to the Goblin King.

While Professor Snape was ignoring her, Professor Flitwick seemed to be making up for it by staring at her intently, as if there was something about her he couldn't quite identify. He shook his head as if to chase the thoughts away and said "Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Williams. Always a pleasure to meet a new face."

"I was hoping you would add some protective charms to Miss William's locket after dinner Filius" commented Dumbledore pleasantly. "We'll want to give her some hidden advantages that she can keep in reserve."

"No problem at all, Headmaster" the diminutive man agreed genially. "It could be interesting."

Sarah sat between Charity and Professor Flitwick during the meal, with most of the conversation coming from Charity as she had a never-ending stream of questions about Muggle culture and the tools they used. Sarah made a mental note to find some books that could be used in the Muggle Studies class.

Near the end of dinner, Sarah asked Charity if she could get some food treats to bring to Blazewing. Charity seemed to speak to the empty air and asked for a small handled basket of fruit. Within a minute, a round basket appeared on the table filled with fresh fruit. At Sarah's surprise exclamation, Charity whispered "The house elves pay special attention during dinner, but you'll probably have one or two assigned to your staff quarters. They will attune themselves to your voice, and will respond to any request you make from any point in the castle."

Sarah smiled in delight. "Is that a staff perk? I can see the poor elves being run ragged if they are attuned to so many students!" Charity laughed and assured her it was a luxury of being on the staff and not to worry about overworking the house elves.

With dinner at an end, Charity pointed out a door behind the staff table allowed her to exit the Great Hall from outside without going through the main entrance. "Hagrid frequently uses it to come in when he joins us for dinner" Charity commented.

"Miss Williams" Professor Flitwick interrupted before she could leave "If you would give me your locket, I will cast some protective charms on it while you are gone."

Sarah beamed her gratitude at the small instructor, quickly removed the locket and handed it to him. "Thank you, Professor, you are very kind. Where shall I come to pick it up?"

"I will have it returned to your room" he said with a small bow, climbing down off his chair and walking off with the locket clutched in his hand.

Sarah bid Charity good night and left through the side door, heading towards Hagrid's cabin with the basket of fruit. She found Blazewing resting comfortably, but he seemed happy to see her. He accepted the treats as she handed them to him, eating almost daintily.

"Are you OK here tonight, Blazewing?" she asked. She remembered Hagrid saying he was very young. "Do you need me to inform anyone that you are here or that you are all right?"

He rumbled low at her, shaking his head and then butting her hand gently, pushing his head under it. She smiled and stroked his head soothingly while she told him about the people she had met and what she had seen in the castle. When his beak opened for a long yawn, Sarah chuckled and wished him a good night before returning to the castle.

She had difficulty finding her room and was just about to wake one of the portraits up to ask for directions when Grep came out of the shadows. "Lady lost?" he asked. "Yes" she admitted wryly. "I have a feeling I'm going to be lost on a fairly regular basis for a while."

Grep snorted. "This way Lady", moving off and checking over his shoulder to make sure she was following him. In a few minutes, she was before her guest room. "Thank you, Grep. You're a life-saver."

He grunted, but she could see the pleased look he was trying to hide. Once inside, Sarah pulled a blanket from the closet and lined one of the dresser drawers with it, leaving the drawer open. The goblins seemed to enjoy sleeping in the drawers, although they usually chose one with her clothes. She was just glad they didn't seem to drool in their sleep.

Sarah changed into her nightgown and sank into the luxurious bed. She turned to set her travel alarm clock and noticed her locket on the nightstand. She would have to remember to thank Professor Flitwick. She covered her mouth and yawned sleepily. What an unexpected and exciting day it had been! Here she only planned to see some of the sights of Scotland, but was instead sleeping in a fairy-tale magic castle with a new job. She smiled as she drifted off to sleep.

_______________

Sarah felt herself floating and looked down on her sleeping body, curled up in the large bed. She saw Greb sleeping on his stomach and smiled at his little form. Enjoying the floating sensation, she decided to go exploring. She glided out of the room, not quite sure how she passed through the wall, but enjoying the sensation of drifting through the halls of Hogwarts.

She felt a curious tug to her left and glided in that direction, phasing through walls drawing closer to the sensation pulling at her. She felt a tingling sensation and the scene changed. In the new dream, she was watching Headmaster Dumbledore who was standing in front of Hogwarts attempting to protect the school and students from an ominous dark cloud that was drawing nearer. Sarah felt with certainty that in the dream if the cloud reached the school, it would be catastrophic. She could sense that Dumbledore was fighting with everything she had, yet he was tiring. The cloud seemed to grow darker, more menacing, and more malicious. She could sense Dumbledore's resolve falter as the first hint of uncertainty threaded through him.

Sarah frowned, uncomfortable with the evil and threatening nature of the dream. She looked at the menacing cloud and narrowed her eyes. What chased away storms? She smiled and added a bright cheery sun to the dream, letting the sunlight hit and disperse the sinister cloud while a strong wind sent it away from the school. Pleased with herself, she smiled and waved at her dream Dumbledore and drifted away.

Her dream self continued to float through the dreamscape and came upon Charity Burbage who was riding an escalator. They had been talking about them during dinner that night, but apparently Sarah's dream Charity didn't quite understand the concept. Instead of connecting two floors in a straight line, the one Charity rode was bending and curving, dropping people off at specific shop locations. Sarah grinned and continued her floating excursion.

A new tug sent her off to her right. She grimaced as a shadowy room appeared and the sensations became heavy with foul overtones. Someone was being hurt; he was crouched on the ground, his black robe was torn and bloody as was the part of his torso that she could see. In fact, the torso seemed to have a multitude of scars and she cringed as she realized his throat was hoarse from screaming in agony as something like lightening played over his body.

Sarah was horrified with the nightmare. No one should be tortured like this. She stood between the man on the ground and the lightening, prepared to stop it with her body if need be. When the lightning struck her, it bathed the room in soft light driving away the malevolent darkness.

She looked at the figure gasping for breath and was grieved over his pain. "This is only a dream" she told herself "and dreams can be controlled." She imagined the crouched man fully healed, then leaned down and held the unsteady figure gently. "You're safe" she whispered. "Nothing can hurt you here."

Slowly, the gasping figure raised his head and she was shocked to see the Potions Master that she had met at dinner. As the agony left his face, a cold mask dropped over his features and he stood, throwing her off. "Even in my dreams he's scornful" she thought. Then she looked at the dream Snape again. He wasn't sneering she realized, he was embarrassed.

She concentrated and the dark menacing chamber changed into a private study or library; a room lined with books. A warm and cheerful fire was dancing in the fireplace and Mozart was playing in the background. The fireplace was flanked by two wing-back chairs. She motioned to one of the chairs and he hesitated before sitting down suspiciously. She smiled softly and held out a brandy snifter and waited until he cautiously accepted it before fading away, leaving him safe and secure.

She felt another pulling sensation and wondered briefly where her dreams were taking her now, but let herself drift towards the tug. She smiled in delight when she saw Blazewing. "Well hello there you beautiful thing" she murmured in delight, reaching out to stroke his head gently.

"Greetings Sarah" she was surprised to hear him say. No, she heard him think, she realized. "I am pleased you can hear me now. It allows me to say thank you for your help earlier."

"It was my pleasure" she replied, looking at his wing and seeing it almost fully healed. She smiled and imagined the damaged feathers being restored and was pleased to see it occur before her eyes. "Have to love dreams" she thought.

"You could not hear me earlier" he thought.

"No, I'm not telepathic unfortunately. But in dreams, we can be whatever we want." She scratched him down his neck, getting under the feathers and he sighed happily and leaned into her hands. When she finished, he butted her gently with his head.

"When I am older, I will be pleased to have you ride me" he offered. Sarah hugged him gently. "I would be very pleased to accept" she replied.

Sarah smiled and rolled over in her bed, waking up enough to check the time on her travel clock. "Oh good, I have a couple more hours" she thought happily. She snuggled into her pillow and fell back asleep, dreaming of flying around the world with Blazewing.

When the alarm went off on her travel clock, Sarah awoke feeling rested and content. She was excited about exploring the school with Charity today. Broul was back she noticed, and smiled at the little goblin as he accompanied her down to breakfast, staying near her feet, but no one seemed to notice him. He climbed into her lap when she sat down at the teachers table.

"Good morning, Miss Williams. How did you sleep?" asked Dumbledore.

"Please call me Sarah, Headmaster. I slept very well, thank you. That guest room is absolutely wonderful! I dreamt of Hogwarts and then spent part of the night flying around the world on Blazewing. I could almost feel the wind in my face as we flew!" Sarah laughed at her imaginative dreams.

Professor Snape looked up when she mentioned dreaming and frowned slightly, but as it was a common expression on his face no one thought anything of it.

When Professor Flitwick appeared, Broul looked at him intently but as soon as Flitwick turned sharply to look at Sarah, the little goblin disappeared. "That's odd" Sarah thought, looking at Professor Flitwick curiously. He seemed to be watching her peculiarly before finally going to his seat.

"Thank you for the protective spells on my locket Professor Flitwick" she called lightly. He nodded and climbed up on his chair, turning his attention resolutely to his breakfast.

Sarah chatted with Charity during the meal, learning more about the history of Hogwarts and the founders of the four Houses, along with some information about the professors that would be returning shortly for the new term.

After breakfast, Professor Snape stopped Dumbledore. "What do you know about this Muggle, Headmaster? Just how did she come to Hogwarts?" he asked with a scowl.

Dumbledore smiled at Snape. "She's a young woman studying something called Creative Writing in London, Severus" he said with a twinkle.

"That's not what I meant" Snape growled.

"I first saw her at Gringotts where the goblins opened the door for her and called her Lady" Dumbledore continued. Snape raised an eyebrow. "And then she saw Hogwarts from a distance; saw it clearly. I've checked all the spells and they are strong and unbreached. She found a wounded hippogriff and not only did it accept her, but allowed her to free it from a tree limb that had been driven through its wing. In fact, I watched her stroke its head, which it accepted with great pleasure."

"Indeed" glowered Snape narrowing his eyes. "But she has no magic?"

"None that I recognize" replied Dumbledore. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow again at the choice of words, and then inclined his head. "Good day, Headmaster."

"Good day, Severus."

***************


	6. Touring Hogwarts

**Chapter 6 – Touring Hogwarts**

Charity led Sarah out of the Great Hall and down a flight of stairs. "Some of the students call this the dungeon, but it's just the sub-level" she said cheerfully. "Some of it extends out under the lake. Down here you'll find the kitchen, the Potions classroom, as well as Professor Snape's offices and store room. In addition, both the Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms and dormitories are off this level." They peeked into the Potions room and Sarah was pleased to recognize it as a classroom although it wasn't exactly like the Chemistry classes that she had taken. Glass containers lined one wall, apparently filled with ingredients that could be used in potions. Tables and seats filled the main area.

"Do you need something?" asked a cold voice. Charity and Sarah both turned from their perusal of the Potions classroom. "No thank you, Severus" said Charity with a smile. "I'm just taking Sarah on a tour of the school and we started down here."

The dark-haired man frowned and narrowed his eyes. "As if we need more untrained dunderheads in this school" he said with a scowl, before he turned and stalked into the classroom, with his robes billowing behind him.

The two women continued down the hallway, but the Muggles Studies professor felt compelled to say "I'm sorry Sarah; Professor Snape can be a bit…brusque at times."

Remembering the previous night's nightmare where the taciturn professor had been tortured, Sarah replied "No apology is necessary, Charity. Some people have to be accepted as they are. How do we know their history or what they've experienced to make them who they are today?"

They continued with their tour, but inside the Potions classroom Snape frowned slightly at overhearing the young woman's comments.

Back on the ground floor, Charity pointed out that not only was the main entrance hall, and great hall here, but the staff room as well as the caretaker's office. An elderly hunchbacked man with thin grey hair growled at them as they entered the caretaker's domain. Sarah tried to ignore the chains and manacles hanging from the ceiling as Charity as introduced her. "Mr. Filch, this is Miss Sarah Williams. She will be my assistant with the Muggles Studies class this year. Sarah, this is Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts."

Sarah smiled hesitantly at the rheumatic man, meeting his pale eyes. He frowned at her. "Another assistant cluttering up the place, not paying attention to the rules, and making more work for me" he groused.

"I'll try to inconvenience you as little as possible" Sarah said with a twitch of her lips. He grunted petulantly and they left. As they moved away from his office Charity mentioned that when the students really misbehaved, they were sent to serve their detentions with Mr. Filch. Sarah shuddered and could see why that threat could be a deterrent.

On the first floor, Charity proudly showed Sarah every part of the Muggle Studies classroom, as well as the History of Magic classroom, which was taught by Hogwarts only ghost instructor, Professor Binns. You'll recognize him when you see him, Sarah. He's an ancient looking man with the semi-transparent grayish white color of a typical ghost."

She also pointed out that several professors kept their offices on this floor, regardless of where their primary classroom was.

The second floor had the Defense of the Dark Arts classroom, the professor's office, and also contained the hidden stair to the Headmaster's office. Charity showed her the gargoyle that would move with the appropriate password, which was usually a type of candy.

They stopped in the trophy room to admire the various student and school awards on the third floor, along with the armor gallery. Professor Flitwick's Charms classroom was also on this floor along with the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey reigned.

The fourth floor was primarily taken up with the extensive school Library. As they entered, an irritable voice called out "The Library is closed until the term begins!"

"Madam Pince, I am giving a tour of Hogwarts to my new Assistant, Sarah Williams. Sarah, this is Madam Pince, Hogwarts Librarian."

Sarah smiled at the thin hawk-like woman who protectively placed an arm over the stack of books in front of her. "Good morning, Madam Pince. This is a remarkable Library. I can see how much work you put into it."

"Hmph" the Librarian snorted. "Be sure to learn the rules of the Library and be sure to return anything you borrow in the condition you found it."

"Of course, Madam Pince. I love books and always take care of them as the treasures they are."

The Librarian stared at her intently and then sniffed saying "We will see" before turning back to continue cataloguing the books in front of her.

As they exited the library, Charity whispered "You made a good impression, my dear." Sarah raised an eyebrow in disbelief and Charity laughed. "Seriously, that was the friendliest I've seen her be in ages." The younger woman laughed and made a mental note to be sure to treat each book as if it her life and limbs were at stake when borrowing a book. From the look of the Librarian, it might very well be.

Once they toured all seven floors, Charity also showed her the Astronomy tower, the Divination tower which housed both Professor Trelawney's classroom and residence, as well as the two towers that housed the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw common rooms and dormitories. The last stop was the West tower that held the Owlery; where Sarah learned how to handle owls, attach messages, and give them treats when they delivered mail.

"Tell me Charity, is there a gymnasium or another location where I can exercise and practice my karate?" asked Sarah.

"Care-ah-tay? What is that, dear?" The curious professor had a gleam in her eye at learning something new about Muggles.

"It's a form of unarmed combat. I typically exercise and practice between one to two hours a day, but need to make sure I'm not disturbing anyone" explained Sarah. "I just need a space about the size of a classroom."

"Is this something you've studied for a long time?" asked the intrigued witch.

"Just over five years. I actually got a late start. I've seen children less than five years old who are fairly high ranked. I learned it as a form of self-defense …for non-magical attacks of course."

They discussed karate rankings and belt designations as they walked, and Charity asked if Sarah would give a demonstration to the Muggle Studies class at some point, to which Sarah agreed before gently reminding her about the need for a place to practice if she was here overnight.

"Well, in good weather, you can use any spot you like that's out-of-doors, of course. But I will ask the Headmaster if we have any vacant classrooms that we can set aside for your use. If worse comes to worse, you can try the Room of Requirements on the seventh floor."

At the younger woman's questioningly look, Charity explained that she didn't point out the room because it only appears when it's needed. Sarah learned that it is opposite a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance the ballet. To make the Room appear, a person has to walk past the section of blank wall three times concentrating hard on what is needed. Whether she needed it for exercising or not, Sarah thought she just might have to investigate it.

They returned to the Great Hall for the mid-day meal, and she again sat between Charity and Professor Flitwick. The little man seemed to cast furtive glances at her throughout the meal, and she wondered if he had actually seen Broul at breakfast. Charity brought up Sarah's request for a practice room and the Headmaster readily agreed that she could use one of the unused classrooms on the fourth floor, even offering to provide her with mats for the floor.

When lunch was completed, Charity showed Sarah back to her room, while they discussed her schedule and the hours she would work. They agreed no less than sixteen hours per week with the option of twenty-four, where the added hours could be spent over the weekend as needed. Sarah agreed to return several times before the start of the new Hogwarts term, to discuss the lesson plans as well as the school rules and disciplinary measures she may need to use.

Once in her room, she quickly packed, but before using the port key she decided to say goodbye to Blazewing. She only lost her way twice before she found the main entrance, and quickly made her way to Hagrid's cabin.

"'ello Sarah" the huge man boomed at her as she approached. "I 'ear yer joinin' us as an assistant for the year. "ere to see Blazewing? The young'un was doing so well 'e flew off an 'our or two ago. Madame Pomfrey outdid herself this time. I didn't think 'e would fly fer at least another day."

"Oh, I'm sorry I missed saying goodbye to him! And yes, thank you Hagrid. I'll be working with Professor Burbage for the coming term in the Muggle Studies class." She smiled at the bushy-haired man towering over her. "Thank you for taking care of Blazewing. I hope I will see him again sometime" she said a little wistfully.

"Buck up, missy. I twouldn't be surprised if young Blazewing didn't show up again soon".

"I hope so. OK, now to try my port key. Is there anything I should know before using it?"

"A port key? Not my favorite way of travelin'. But jus' touch it and it should pull ya where ya need to go."

Sarah opened her locket and glanced up at the huge man who nodded encouragingly at her. Gently she touched her thumb to the portrait on the left. Immediately, she felt as if someone had inserted a hook somewhere behind her naval and she felt a large wrench as the world spun dizzily around her. Within moments, she felt the ground underneath her and sprawled on the floor of her dorm room, unable to maintain her balance.

"Wow! That was…different."

_______________

Sarah made sure to thank Madison for the tickets to Scotland by creating a small basket of bath oils. In her first year of college in the States, her part-time job was in a homeopathic supply shop where she had learned about a number of natural ingredients used in remedies and aroma therapy. She selected lavender, rosewood and almond oils, and left them for Madison with a thank-you note, adding that she hoped Madison and David had enjoyed their weekend as much as Sarah had enjoyed hers.

After a few days, Sarah shared with her floor mates that she had been hired as a Professor's assistant. She matched her schedule for the next semester at Royal Holloway with Charity's schedule and discovered that if she moved the time of one class, she could devote all of her mornings to her own classes and four afternoon a week to the Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. When her floor mates learned she was working with a female professor outside of Royal Holloway, they soon lost interest leaving Sarah able to come and go as she pleased.

Over the next several days, Sarah reviewed Charity Burbage's lesson plan and found it interesting how someone from a wizarding world looked at non-magical life. From what she could discern, the professor had broken her Muggle Studies class into the topics of Education, Transportation, Communication, Health/Medicine, Government (focused on Great Britain), Professions and Daily Living. In the later, she focused on a variety of individual tools and inventions used in daily life, such as water heaters, hair dryers, elevators and other common inventions.

Sarah was impressed, especially as Charity was born and raised as a witch, apart from the "Muggle" world. But as good as the lesson plan was, Sarah felt it was missing something. Where were the comparisons of how activities were performed in one culture versus the other? She shook her head, thinking they were missing some basic points. Glancing around her room for inspiration, Sarah looked at her computer and smiled. After booting it up, she spent the next thirty minutes on her favorite search engine reviewing and printing information. Within a short time, she had lists of the greatest technological achievements of the 20th century, basic information on all forms of world government, major sports, and popular leisure activities. She also printed a general summary of the century that as categorized into wars and politics; culture and entertainment; medicine; energy, natural resources and the environment; science and finally technology.

Sarah leaned back in her computer seat, thumbing through her printouts. A sound to her left caused her to look at Broul. He had emptied a box of paper clips on the floor and was making an intricate chain pattern. "Thank goodness they enjoy the inexpensive items" she thought with a smile. "Rubber bands, erasers, shoe strings, straws and paperclips keep them entertained for hours".

Returning to printouts, she decided they would give Charity some additional ideas. Perhaps they could take some general topics and spend some time comparing how activities occurred in each culture. She spun around in her chair considering how to share information. Her eyes lighted on a picture of Toby and her. Her little brother loved books about how things are made, and those gave great basic information. She could likely find some used books comparable to what Toby enjoyed to bring back to Hogwarts.

"Bed time Broul. Would you put your chain away so that I don't step on it?"

"Sure Lady. I's ready for sleep too." He climbed into an open drawer and pulled his chain up after him before diving into the soft towels she kept there for the goblins.

Sarah slipped on a burgundy silk nightgown with spaghetti straps after washing her face and brushing her teeth. She decided that the following day she would see if she could find the used books, and then go back to Hogwarts. Sinking down into her bed, she smiled at the thought of seeing the magic school again.

_______________

Sarah realized that she was drifting through Hogwarts again and recognized it as a dream. A tugging sensation that was becoming familiar drew her to a new dream. The images around her changed and became darker, even sinister.

A man-like creature that was not totally a man was torturing another man on the ground while others stood around. Some seemed uncomfortable; some appeared relieved it wasn't them while others gave the impression of enjoying display. Sarah paused, trying to understand what was happening in this dream. The man-like creature was casting some type of spell on the man on the ground, causing him to writhe in anguish. She recalled the dream where something like lightning struck Professor Snape and tried to stand in front of the agonized man, but it didn't stop his torture.

"This is my dream, damn it" she thought "and I control it! No one gets tortured in my dreams!" She imagined the spell being reflected back to the creator. The dream seemed to struggle with her attempts to change it, but suddenly the spell rebounded back to the caster and slowly the nightmare dissolved. She knelt down and held the man, trying to offer what comfort she could. Gradually, his gasps slowed down and his head rose to look at her, suspicious and distrustful. It was him again; Professor Snape! Sarah was horrified. Why was she dreaming about him being tortured? Had she become so petty, so twisted that just because someone was rude her subconscious wanted him hurt?

"I'm sorry" she whispered to the dream Snape. "I'm so sorry."

He pushed her away and tried to stand, flinching when she moved to support him. "Why?" was all he hissed.

"No one should be hurt like this, even in a dream" she murmured. "I'm so sorry".

He straightened and stepped away from her, his dream image looking at her guardedly. "This is not your fault". She shook her head disagreeing with him. It was her dream and who else was responsible for what happened in her dreams?

She imagined the study again where she had left him the last time and the image around them altered until they stood near a cozy fireplace. Snape looked around, before saying "this is not my room" and the image shifted again. They were still in front of a fireplace, but the room was darker, there were more books, a desk was filled with papers and she could see a door leading off to what appeared to be a bed room.

"Odd"she thought. "I wonder why the setting changed." She looked at the dream Snape, feeling her eyes fill with tears for what he had been through and was ashamed of herself. "Good night, Professor" she murmured and let herself fade through the walls.

Sarah awoke with tears running down her face, and the dream fresh in her mind. "My god", she whispered "what kind of a monster am I that I dream about torturing someone I barely know?" It was a very long time before she slept again.

Eventually, sleep reclaimed her and the young woman dreamt again. This time, she consciously chose to stay away from Hogwarts. There were too many dark dreams to ensnare her. She wanted a happier and more peaceful dream and directed her dream self towards her parents and Toby. The thought of Toby filled her with love and peace and she focused on him. Slowly, a dream began to form and she knew Toby was there. He was engaged in a mock battle that seemed to stem from a computer game he played and she had to grin at his youthful enthusiasm.

She watched his antics for a while, relieved that she could dream so peacefully. Thank goodness for Toby, she thought. Thank goodness she had beaten the Goblin King.

She felt a pulling sensation and let herself glide in the direction of the tug. Gradually, a chamber formed around her. The room was built out of stone, although tapestries hung on the walls adding warmth and texture. A fireplace and seating area was on the left, while a large bed was on the right. Doors to a balcony were open beyond the bed and Sarah could see a figure leaning on the stone balustrade. She drifted out towards the figure.

She found that it was a tall blond-haired man on the balcony, looking out over the landscape below. She looked herself and realized it was a labyrinth. She felt a moment's unease and then remembered she was dreaming. Looking over at the male figure, she examined him closely. He had shoulder length long and layered blonde hair, arched brows, high cheekbones and slender lips. He was dressed in a midnight blue silk shirt, charcoal gray breeches and black leather boots. "The Goblin King" she realized.

Safe in the knowledge that she was dreaming, she examined him closely. He seemed tired and worn, she thought, almost poignant in his solitary contemplation. Was he carrying the weight of the whole Underground on his shoulders, she wondered. She reached out a hand, but paused before touching him.

To her surprise, he seemed to become aware of her and turned to stare at her. "Hello Sarah" he murmured. "Have you come to haunt my dreams yet again?"

She tipped her head at him. He wasn't at all frightening in her dream she realized, just fatigued and melancholy. "I thought this was my dream" she replied with a small smile. "Wouldn't that make you the one that's haunting me?"

He tipped his head, copying her. "Perhaps. What brings your dreams to the Underground?"

"I was dreaming about Toby and how much I love him, which made me think how grateful I was that I won him back. The next thing I knew, I was here." She leaned against the balustrade and looked out over the Labyrinth, contemplating its quiet serenity. "It's very beautiful, isn't it?" she murmured with some surprise.

He looked at her intently, letting his eyes devour her, as if seeing the changes time had made. "Yes" he murmured, "Very beautiful."

Sarah turned, catching his gaze on her. The warmth in his eyes made her aware that she was only in her silk nightgown, and was immediately relieved that it was floor length and that the bodice covered her breasts fully, leaving only a little cleavage showing.

"I should be going" she said softly, feeling a blush starting on her cheeks. "Goodbye Goblin King." She turned; ready to begin drifting through her dreams again.

"Sarah, wait" he called and she paused at the need in his voice.

"Dreams wait for no one, Goblin King" she murmured.

"Then let this dream move on, let this dream find us as old acquaintances with no unpleasant history." She didn't answer and he coaxed softly "Sarah…"

She turned back towards him to find him holding a hand out to her, and looked at him questioningly. "Dance with me, Sarah?" She looked at his beguiling eyes and then lifted her hand, gently resting it in his. He lifted it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on her fingers, then smiled gently at her. He rested one hand on her waist and began to slowly twirl her around the balcony. Sarah was riveted by the look in his eyes; it was both tender and blissful. Their movements matched perfectly in the dream, dancing under the stars in an idyllic setting.

Slowly he pulled her closer until her head rested against his chest, tucked under his chin. He smelled marvelous she realized, all leather and spices and masculinity. His hand moved from her waist up her back, caressing gently. She could hear the steady beat of his heart in his chest; feel his breath on her hair. She leaned back to look up at him and smiled softly at the warmth in his eyes.

A ringing sound intruded on her contemplation. His eyes widened suddenly and he said urgently "No…Sarah!" She looked at him in surprise and noticed he was fading in front of her as the ringing became louder and louder.

Sarah groaned and reached a hand out for her alarm clock, shutting it off and then stretching fully. She smiled at the memory of that last dream. Dancing with the Goblin King? Now what brought that on, she wondered.

***************


	7. Preparing for Muggle Studies

**Chapter 7 – Preparing for Muggle Studies**

With only a week before the Hogwarts Autumn term began, Sarah went shopping to find some books that Charity might find useful. She went to her favorite used bookstore and browsed happily, having to restrain herself from indulging in her own tastes. Finally, she found a young adult section with what she wanted. She selected three books; one on how inventions worked, from airplanes to computers to compact disks. The second was on science and covered how to filter water to experiments like creating a polymer slime or an electromagnet. The third was one of Toby's favorites and was titled "The Ultimate Book of Knowledge: Everything You Need to Know" and included sections on the human body, plants, animals, the earth, planets and stars as well as society and history.

She was pleased with the selection and prices; she could easily afford these because of her part-time position, and thought Charity would enjoy them. Walking through the store, she discovered some university level text books and wondered if some of the Hogwarts instructors might be interested. The sign on the table indicated they were all on sale for only a few pounds each. Checking her wallet, Sarah decided she had enough for the books on Biology, Biochemistry, Plant Science and Biomedical Science. She thought Madame Pomfrey might be interested in the Biomedical text while Professor Sprout might be curious about the Plant Science text.

As she waited to check out, she noticed Stephen Hawking's "The Universe in a Nutshell" and couldn't resist adding it to her purchases. She laughed as her wallet was emptied, but was pleased with her purchases.

Back at the dormitory, Sarah packed a duffel bag with her books, her suggestions for Charity as well as additional clothing and supplies she planned to leave at Hogwarts to minimize what she brought with her each trip. Finally, she opened her locket and with a deep breath, pressed firmly on the picture. With another belly-button wrenching pull, she eventually found herself sprawled just outside of the Hogwarts gates.

"Ew, I hope that improves over time" she thought as she dusted herself off. "It won't due for the Professor's Assistant to be seen face down on the ground."

As she entered the school, she was stopped by a small creature that was somewhat goblin-like in appearance with a large head and huge expressive eyes fixed atop a torso with spindly arms and legs. She was under three feet tall, and appeared to be wearing a pillow case as a dress with nothing on her feet. In a squeaky voice she asked eagerly "Lady Sarah? Tilly is here to help you and very happy to do so. Tilly is being the house elf assigned to the Lady's room and will be happy to keep it cleaned and tidy for the lovely lady. Tilly will also bring the Lady food and drink; she has only to ask and Tilly will provide."

"Why thank you Tilly" Sarah replied with a smile at the eager little house elf. "You don't have to call me Lady Sarah though. Just Sarah will do fine."

The little face screwed up in distress. "But…you are the Lady. Tilly cannot be disrespectful! But Tilly cannot disobey the Lady either." Sarah watched in shock as the little creature took her fist and hit herself on the side of the head. "Bad Tilly! Bad!" she seemed to chastise herself.

"No Tilly! Stop! You can call me whatever you feel is appropriate" Sarah said quickly, kneeling down by the small figure. "I certainly didn't mean to imply that you were disobeying me. I just wanted to be friendly."

The large eyes fixed on her face and to Sarah's surprise tears began to swim in her large eyes. "The Lady wanted to be friendly to Tilly? The Lady sees Tilly as a friend?" A large smile beamed out at Sarah. "What kindness the Lady shows! Treating Tilly like an equal and a friend!" She suddenly noticed the large duffle bag Sarah carried. "But here Tilly lets the Lady carry such a heavy bag! May Tilly send it to the Lady's room and unpack for her?"

"Thank you Tilly, but I don't know where my room is yet. Would you mind showing me the way, please?"

"Tilly is happy to show the Lady! Come this way!" She snapped her fingers and the duffle bag disappeared, presumably delivered to her new room. Tilly led Sarah up the stairs to the second floor and down a wing with staff chambers. At the third thick oak door she paused. "This is the Lady's room. If the Lady puts her hand on the door and decides on a password, it will be set so that only the Lady and the assigned house elves can enter." She looked at Sarah expectantly.

Sarah laid her hand on the door, noticing there was no visible lock only a door handle. Apparently the locks were supernatural in nature in the magic school. Now, what would be an uncommon word that others wouldn't think of but one that she wouldn't forget? She frowned in concentration. Having just dreamt of the Goblin King the previous night, the Underground and her previous adventure was still in the forefront of her mind and she found herself saying "Oubliette".

The door glowed as the password was set and then at Tilly's encouraging look, Sarah opened the door. She was pleased to discover the room was larger than she had anticipated; more than double her dormitory . A small desk where she could work was just to the left of the door. Several feet beyond that, shelves lined one wall with a fireplace in between flanked by two chairs and a small table.

A good sized four poster bed with curtains and a large oak wardrobe were on the other wall. Smiling, she realized that the bedding was in cream and light aqua; neutral to all house colors as Charity had described them. Across from the door, double window looked out on a lake and Sarah exclaimed with delight at the view. A doorway near the bed led to a small private bathroom and the young woman was pleased she wouldn't have to leave the room for a common lavatory. Opening the wardrobe, she discovered half was dedicated to hanging garments while the other was filled with drawers for her folded clothing.

As Sarah explored the room, Tilly made short work of unpacking for her. All books were put on the shelves by the fireplace. Notebooks, pens and paper were quickly deposited in the desk while her clothing was efficiently positioned in the wardrobe. Her bathing and hair care items were carefully placed in the bathroom.

"Will the Lady be needing Tilly for anything else? Tilly will be happy to get tea and sandwiches if the Lady is hungry."

"Thank you, but I think I will go see Professor Burbage now Tilly. You've been very helpful and I appreciate you unpacking for me." The house elf beamed in pleasure at the praise. "Tilly is always happy to help the Lady." With a bow and a snap of her fingers, she disappeared.

"What a little sweetheart" Sarah thought. "Although I'll have to be sure not to express displeasure around her. I can't believe she hit herself just because I suggested she call me Sarah." She shook her head and then selected the books and materials to bring with her to see Charity.

As she neared the landing with the stairs, she saw Professor Snape exiting one of the doors in another wing heading in her direction. She paused and smiled politely at him. "Good morning Professor Snape" she said cheerily.

He raised an eyebrow and frowned slightly. "Miss Williams. Are you lost?"

"Not yet, Professor. My quarters are down that wing. I'm on my way to see Charity."

He looked curiously at her stack of books, raising the eyebrow again at the Biochemistry book on top of the stack, but simply nodded at her. "Good day, Miss Williams" he said with what could almost be considered amount to civility as he walked off.

Sarah was pleased to be able to find her way to Charity's office without getting lost, especially as the pile of books in her arms was getting tiring.

"Sarah! I'm so glad to see you back!" Sarah smiled at the older woman's enthusiasm. "What did you think of the lesson plan? Did you find additional topics that you think should be discussed? And what are the books you're carrying?"

"Actually, I thought your lesson plan was quite interesting. I brought some information that I thought we could discuss to see whether you thought it would complement your plans. Plus, I brought some books that could be used during the class or that might give the students more insight into the workings of the Muggle world."

The two women spent the next hour going through the lists Sarah had printed from the internet, having to explain in detail how she found them. Charity had heard of computers, but the internet search engines were a new concept and she avidly absorbed everything Sarah shared about them. She found the books an unexpected gift and blessed Albus silently for suggesting Sarah as her Assistant.

"Why don't we leave these wonderful "How Things Work" books in the classroom, but take the university texts to the staff lounge? I think you will find most of the staff will be curious and will gladly look through them, although Pomona may attempt to commandeer the plant book until she's thoroughly digested it."

"I hope no one will be offended or think I'm trying to push Muggle viewpoints. I just thought they might find them an interesting comparison" Sarah explained.

"Don't worry about it, my dear. Most of the staff is fairly agreeable and have a good amount of curiosity. Even Madame Pince might be interested."

They dropped off the texts in the lounge before heading in to dinner. Once seated, Sarah was a bit embarrassed by Charity's public praise of her critique of the Muggle Studies lesson plan and her suggestions. Dumbledore smiled as the younger woman blushed at Charity's effusive praise.

"No need to blush, my dear" he twinkled at her. "You've demonstrated just why you were hired. Although Charity's class has always been enlightening, I envy the students taking the class this year."

"Wait until you see the books we left in the staff lounge, Albus. There are Muggle university level texts covering their chemistry, medicine and even plants. Sarah was surprised that not only Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey looked interested, but that Professor Snape even appeared curious.

By the time evening came and she finally bid Charity good night, Sarah was pleasantly tired and looking forward to a few days at Hogwarts before she had to start her own classes. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Sarah slipped on her nightgown just as Grep popped into the room.

"Hello Grep! I see you found me."

"Grep will always find the Lady" the little goblin said with a smile. Sarah prepared a drawer in the wardrobe for him and they chatted while he explored the room. He was happy when he found the desk already filled with supplies and quickly confiscated an eraser. She smiled indulgently at him.

"Are you done exploring? I was hoping to turn out the light soon."

"Sure Lady. Lots to explore tomorrow." He climbed into the drawer she had pulled out and lined with towels and snuggled in to them, half burying himself. The young woman blew him a kiss and turned out the light, snuggling in to her own covers.

_______________

Sarah found herself in a well-known chamber with impossible stairways. Looking down, she realized she was dressed in the white poet's shirt, vest and blue jeans she had worn when she visited the Underground. Her body felt smaller, more awkward, more childish. She knew this was a dream, but found herself repeating the same movements that she had gone through years ago as if it was a script she was bound to perform. Jareth appeared, dressed in the black attire he had worn all those years ago, alternately stalking and retreating from her. Finally they came face to face and she began the heartbreakingly familiar and poignant exchange.

"Give me the child."

"Sarah, beware. I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel."

"Generous! What have you done that's generous?"

"Everything! Everything that you wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted living up to your expectations of me. Is not that generous?"

Sarah felt herself saying the familiar words while mentally she evaluated his comments more than she had before. He had done everything she had asked. Was he a frightening simply because she expected him to be a villain? "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, for my will is as strong as yours and my…"

"Stop! Wait! Look Sarah, look what I'm offering you…your dreams." He held out the crystal, but while he was saying the same words, his face was different than he remembered. She could read defeat and heartache on his features. Wait…heartache?

"And kingdom is as great…"

"I ask for so little. Just let me rule you and you can have everything you want."

"…kingdom is as great…Damn! I can never remember that line."

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

Sarah knew the next line. She knew she only had to say "you have no power over me" and the dream would end with the room falling apart. But it didn't feel right. "This is a dream, and dreams can be changed" she reminded herself.

She opened her mouth and then bit back the words trying to come out and closed her mouth again, looking at him doubtfully. She had always wanted to ask him what he meant. She looked at the clock and froze it mid-strike before it reached the thirteenth chime, then gazed back at him. He stared at her fixedly, incredulity beginning to play across his elegant features.

Sarah folded her arms across her chest and took a deep breath. "Are you saying that all of your displays of menace and intimidation were because I subconsciously requested it of you?"

Jareth blinked and regarded her with confused intensity, obviously trying to determine what was happening. Finally he appeared to make a decision as he took a deep breath and began slowly walking towards her saying "You had expectations of the Goblin King and yourself. You expected me to be villainous and the Labyrinth to be daunting. You wanted to be the heroine and conquer all those dangers untold and hardships unnumbered."

"And the 'fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave'? Why would you say that to a young girl barely more than a child?"

"You were too immature to understand it then" he admitted. "Tell me precious thing, what does it suggest to you at this age?"

Sarah felt herself change and realized she was an adult again dressed in the midnight blue silk nightgown she had worn to bed. She glanced at him and frowned. "Why am I dreaming about this now" she murmured to herself.

"This was not your dream, Sarah. This was _my_ dream. You joined it, but more than that, you _changed_ it." He was standing close now, his eyes seemingly devouring her.

Sarah narrowed her eyes, frowning. "How could I change _your_ dream? Explain." She paused and then added "Please."

Jareth's lips twitched in a half smirk, but he responded smoothly when she glared at him. "A Dream Walker is someone able to see the dreams of others. It is a rare talent, but as you may recall from your book, the Goblin King granted the girl certain powers. As dreams are among my talents, I gave you the ability to walk in those dreams. But more than just walking in my dream, you just deliberately _changed_ my dream. It has never altered before. You always speak the words. You always deny me." His face briefly showed tired resignation as he spoke.

He commented reflectively "Tonight, the dream altered. You decided to make it change, did you not?"

"I wanted to ask you what you meant. I've never been able to ask that before. I know that I can control my dreams, so I broke the script to ask you what you really meant without the pressure of the clock striking the hour…"

He shook his head in amused wonder. "A Dream Weaver." He walked around her as if considering her from all angles, smirking when she drummed her fingers against her crossed arms in exasperation. "You will never fail to amaze me Sarah. You have grown beyond a Dream Walker to become a Dream Weaver, one of most uncommon of all talents or powers." He looked at her speculatively.

"Sarah, I would like you to change something in this room; a color, a texture, or perhaps add something that is not currently here. Focus on it intently and force it to appear."

She raised an eyebrow at his tone, but he refused to explain the odd demand. She looked at the stone wall behind him and smiled mischievously. Fine, if he wanted to play games in her dreams, he should remember that she controlled her dreams. She grinned as the image appeared. He turned, following her eyes to the wall. Clearly depicted on the wall was a life sized Goblin King, his hands on his hips, looking extremely irritated, almost petulant. In front of him lounged Sarah in an easy chair with her back to him, iPod headphones covering her ears and a book open on her lap, peacefully oblivious to the annoyed Fae king looming behind her demanding her attention. As he turned back to her, his face mimicking the irritation of her wall Goblin King, she winked and let herself fade away.

Sarah awoke to her travel alarm going off with a silly grin on her face. The memory of her last dream was still strong in her mind and she had to laugh, wondering what the menacing Goblin King would think if he ever saw such a mural in his castle. What she would give for a picture of that!

***************


	8. The New Term Begins

**Chapter 8 – The New Term Begins**

The first staff meeting gave Sarah the opportunity to be introduced to the remainder of the staff, and a more interesting group of men, woman and ghosts she had never met.

Dumbledore welcomed them all before turning to the Muggle Studies professor. "Would you like to introduce your new Assistant, Charity?"

Charity beamed a smile at the Headmaster and then swept the room with the same smile. "I would indeed, thank you Albus. Please join me in welcoming Miss Sarah Williams from the United States of America. She is currently finishing her University classes in Creative Writing, but will be spending half days with me. She has already added immense value with her suggestions to the lesson plan, and brought a variety of books that show how Muggle inventions are made, as well as how they live and work."

Starting around the table, she introduced the staff to Sarah. She had already met Professors Flitwick, McGonagall and Snape as well as Madams Pince and Pomfrey. Professor Binns was an ancient and semi-transparent ghost who barely seemed there but apparently taught the History of Magic. He could barely focus on her to acknowledge the introduction. Professor Sinistra was a tall slender woman with dark hair and purple colored eyes who seemed a bit far-sighted. Perhaps that helped with teaching Astronomy. Pomona Sprout was a small squat witch with fly-away gray hair who was not only the Herbology instructor, but also the head of Hufflepuff house. She gave Sarah a kind smile of welcome.

The Divination Professor Sibyll Trelawney was a skinny woman with huge glasses that magnified her eyes to a bug-like appearance. She wore gauzy clothes with a shawl over her shoulders, but even more interesting was the abundance of necklaces, bracelets and rings. With a soft voice as if she was barely connected to the physical plane she whispered eerily "Oh dear, I foresee difficult year for you Miss Williams. A great deal of darkness surrounds you." Sarah controlled her twitching lips and managed to say in a steady voice "Thank you Professor. Forewarned is forearmed."

Madam Hooch was introduced as the Flying instructor, Quidditch coach and game referee. She was an athletic middle-aged woman with short gray hair. She offered a quick smile and brisk nod to Sarah who was trying to identify what was different about the woman when she realized she had yellow eyes. "Like a hawk or another bird of prey" Sarah thought.

When the introductions were completed but before Dumbledore started the rest of the meeting, Madame Pince leaned towards Sarah. "I see you brought several Muggle books, Miss Williams."

Sarah nodded and looked around the room for them. Madame Pomfrey was browsing through the biomedical book with interest. She was surprised to see that Professor Snape had both the Biochemistry and Plant books in front of him. "May I review the Plant book Severus" asked Professor Sprout with enthusiasm.

"I would first like to review it to see if there is any information useful for potion making, Pomona" replied the Potions Master.

The Herbology instructor sighed with barely repressed frustration. "Please let me know when you are done with it then" she said grudgingly.

"Of course, Pomona."

Madame Pince reclaimed Sarah's attention by saying "I would like to add the books to the Library when the staff has reviewed them, Miss Williams. We have a small selection of Muggle books, but there is room for more."

"Of course, Madame Pince. Also, if there are specific topics you would like me to obtain, please let me know and I will look for them when I return to London." The older woman nodded sourly, almost as she was unused to offers of assistance.

"You should see the 'how to' books that Sarah brought for the class, Madame Pince. I think the additions she's suggested to the class will make it the most interesting yet, especially in comparing Wizarding and Muggle approaches to daily life." Sarah smiled at Charity's enthusiasm.

"I would suggest that all Housemasters encourage their fifth year students to take the Muggles Studies class as the OWLs will be held at the end of the year" added Dumbledore. The meeting progressed with general information about the school year, assignments of chaperones to various extra-curricular events, as well as guidelines on adding or deducting house points and detention options.

"I'm sure you are all wondering about our last position to be filled" he finally added. "The Ministry of Magic is assigning the Defense of the Dark Arts instructor, one Delores Umbridge." Several of the staff immediately burst out in protest, drowning out whatever the Headmaster had been saying.

Minerva McGonagall's voice carried the strongest. "Albus, you cannot be serious. That woman was the one that attempted to prosecute Harry after he used magic to thwart a dementor attack!"

"That was her job, Minerva. And the Ministry has the option of assigning an instructor if I am unable to fill a position. I won't say much, but I do recommend that you treat her with outward courtesy and respect."

After the meeting broke up, most of the instructors stayed to talk and finish their tea. Sarah leaned over to Charity and asked quietly "What is a dementor?"

Charity's face was troubled as she answered the question. "Dementors are among the foulest creatures known. They feed on positive human emotions and can drain peace, hope and happiness from others. They also can drain a witch or wizard of their powers if left with them too long. They are the guards at Azkaban, the wizard prison."

"Why would someone be prosecuted for fighting them if attacked?"

"Harry Potter is a bit of a celebrity, whether he wants to be or not". Charity paused to frown at Severus Snape as he snorted loudly. "There was a dark wizard, a former student who turned to dark magic and became both powerful and very evil. He killed anyone who got in his way, but also built a following of like-minded wizards and witches, plus he had a hatred for Muggles. Fifteen years ago, he killed James and Lily Potter, but when he attempted to kill their baby Harry, the killing spell rebounded against him."

"We all thought he was dead and gone, but apparently his spirit wandered and was recently recalled into a new body, using some of Harry's blood and he is beginning to re-gather his followers and make a new effort to claim power." Charity frowned, her normal cheery face deeply troubled. "Another student was killed last year when the dark wizard returned; a bright and likeable boy. Harry was able to bring his body back, but the Ministry refused to believe him and has gone out of their way to discredit him, portraying him as either an attention seeker or mentally ill. An underage student using magic is forbidden, so when Harry defended himself magically, he was prosecuted for it and they tried to say there was no dementor attack."

Sarah's eyes had widened as Muggle Studies professor explained. Finally she cried "That's awful! Are the people at your 'Ministry of Magic' already under this Dark Lord's power? Or are they that irresponsible?"

Snape looked up from the book he was ostensibly reviewing. "Not everyone is willing to acknowledge or face evil, Miss Williams."

"Bah, then they seem to be ostriches at best and cowards or sympathizers at worst."

Snape and Charity exchanged puzzled looks. "Ostriches?"

"Muggles have a myth about ostriches hiding their heads in the sand when threatened. It's become synonymous for someone who hides and refuses to face facts." Sarah suddenly remembered Grep saying "Ask about the bad wizard". The goblins were aware of the danger? She would have to ask them about this.

Charity interrupted her thoughts, still intrigued by the ostrich myth. "Where did that come from?"

"If an ostrich on a nest feels threatened, it lays its head along the ground, attempting to blend in to the background. Apparently someone saw it as attempting to bury its head to hide, and the myth was born. My stepmother gave me a book on myths and legends a few years ago that explained a number of common phrases and beliefs."

"And this is why you are going to add so much to the class this year, Sarah!" Charity was back to being pleased about the new year.

Sarah smiled at her, then looked past her at Snape's apparent interest in the chemistry book. "I used to love chemistry. The blending and mixing of compounds and elements was always fascinating. My high school instructor used to let me work in the lab after school hours to work on my own concoctions." She smiled fondly at the memory.

"What did you make?" asked Charity.

"Mostly easy homeopathic remedies. My father injured his lower back and was subject to back spasms. My stepmother took a massage class and talked me into taking it with her. We learned quite a bit about massage techniques which use oils. That led to me having an interest in formulating different massage oils for Dad that would promote muscle relaxation, stress reduction, improved circulation and the like. For fun I made custom bath oils and shampoos for some friends' birthdays, and then wound up making them on a regular basis due to their popularity." She grinned and added "I almost decided to pursue a career in chemistry just because I enjoyed brewing and blending mixtures so much."

Snape looked up from the textbook and examined Sarah as though she was a new specimen. After a moment he said curtly "Charity, your assistant will need robes."

"Oh my goodness, yes of course. Thank you Severus, I would have forgotten." Turning to Sarah she added "you may wear whatever you choose under the robes, but you will need at least one to wear during class."

"I remember seeing a clothing store in Diagon Alley…Malkin's? Does opening the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron take magic or will just pressing the bricks in the right order work?"

"It takes magic, but you can use Floo powder and fireplaces to move between Hogwarts and Diagon Alley." Charity laughed at Sarah's raised eyebrow and uncertain expression. "I will show you how it works, but there is also a shop in Hogsmeade called Gladrags Wizardwear, which is just a short walk from the school."

"Then I will head there to pick something up." Turning to the Potions Master she added "Thank you for the reminder Professor Snape." She smiled in amusement when all he did was snort and turn the page in the Chemistry book.

_______________

The first day of Hogwarts term arrived quickly. Immediately before dinner, Dumbledore introduced the staff to Professor Delores Umbridge; a squat woman with a wide face and short tightly curled mousy brown hair incongruently topped with a black velvet bow. Oddly enough, she wore a fluffy pink cardigan over her robes. She made a point of shaking hands with everyone, and Sarah noticed she wore ugly old-fashioned rings on her stubby fingers when they shook hands. She spoke in a high-pitched voice that seemed totally inappropriate for her age and Sarah found herself fighting an instinctive dislike for the woman, having to control the impulse to wipe her hand against her new robe.

The staff entered the Great Hall and Sarah smiled in delight at the hundreds of candles floating high above their heads. They sat on the dais and watched as the students filed into the hall, sitting at their tables. The Sorting ritual was interesting; although she found the speaking Hat the best part of the event and then Dumbledore gave a brief welcome and signaled for the feast to begin.

After dinner, Dumbledore rose to his feet and the room immediately quieted. He began by announcing to First Year students and reminding everyone else that the Forbidden Forest is still forbidden and off limits. He followed that with "Mr. Filch asked me to remind students that magic is not permitted in the hallways. Every other forbidden item is meticulously documented on the extensive list fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."

"We have several changes in staffing this year. We are pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank for the Care of Magical Creatures." The Professor stood and nodded at the assembly. Once she was reseated, Dumbledore continued "We are also pleased to introduce Miss Sarah Williams, who will be Professor Burbage's assistant in Muggle Studies this year." Sarah imitated Professor Grubby-Plank and stood briefly, nodded to the students and then reseated herself. "Lastly, we are delighted to introduce Professor Delores Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Dumbledore paused briefly and then attempted to continue with announcements, but was interrupted by Professor Umbridge clearing her throat theatrically. The Headmaster politely sat down and gave her his full attention. Sarah watched the squat unpleasant woman as she droned on about her welcome, her hopes for the school, and then began a well-rehearsed speech about how the Ministry of Magic was concerned for all of the witches and warlocks attending the school. As she went on and on, Sarah noticed that the students rapidly lost interest, although the staff seemed to be listening attentively. Watching their faces, she listened a little more closely before realizing that the woman was subtly announcing that the Ministry of Magic would be attempting to influence and control what happened at Hogwarts. This didn't sound good at all.

_______________

Sarah was drifting through her dreams when she felt a strong pulling and knew she was going to dream about someone specifically. She felt a menacing darkness reach out towards her and hesitated, but allowed the nightmare to come. "Please, no torturing of Professor Snape" she begged her subconscious.

It was indeed Snape at the center of the dream, but he wasn't being tortured. Instead, he was trying to rush a couple out of their house. He was focused on getting them away, but was angry and afraid for them; they were moving too slowly. They would be caught and the consequences if they were sickened him. Suddenly two other figures appeared, wearing black robes with skull masks covering their faces. "We've come to watch the fun" one of them said with deliberate malice.

Sarah looked at Snape and for a split second his face showed anguish, then a skull mask slipped over his own features. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the couple he had been trying to rush away and said calmly "_Avada Kedavra"_. Sarah watched puzzled as a jet of blinding green light came from his wand and encompassed the man and woman. They collapsed immediately, causing the other two figures to complain about not having their fun with the couple. "I'm tired" replied Snape. "It's been a busy night and I'm ready to have a fire whiskey."

The house and the two other masked figures dissolved, leaving Snape standing alone in his skull mask with the bodies before him. "Why didn't you listen?" was his furious comment. "Why couldn't you have moved faster?"

Through the anger, the torment and heartache in his voice was overpowering. She looked at him grieving over the two corpses and thought "No, this can't be all there is. He'll never forgive himself." She focused on the dead couple, demanding they do something to change the anguished nature of the dream.

Transparent images of the man and woman rose from the corpses and looked at Snape with compassion. "You did all you could. We should have listened" said the man. "We're sorry we put you through it" said the woman. "Will you forgive us?"

The dream Snape looked at them in shock, his skull mask disappearing leaving his natural features exposed and vulnerable. "Forgive _you_?" he whispered. Snape leaned against a wall and rubbed his face with one hand. "I killed you. I couldn't save you" he muttered. "I should be asking your forgiveness."

"You did what you could. Please forgive us for causing you this pain."

Sarah didn't think she had moved, but Snape's head suddenly came up and he spun around, seeking her out in the shadows where she was hidden. She didn't belong here; this was too painful and too personal she thought and let herself fade away, leaving him with his ghosts.

After floating for a time, Sarah felt a pull and reluctantly followed it to discover Dumbledore again standing in front of Hogwarts, trying to keep the same ominous storm cloud from approaching, but now there were others dragging at him, distracting him, preventing him from focusing on the imminent storm. She recognized the Minister of Magic from his picture in the _Daily Prophet_ as well as that odious Delores Umbridge as two of those distracting Dumbledore.

She brought forth the sun and wind to again disperse and push away the cloud. She looked at Fudge and Umbridge and grinned maliciously before wishing the goblins would come and take them away, laughing broadly when they disappeared with looks of shock on their faces.

"Hello Sarah" said her dream Dumbledore. "I would like to talk to you about dreams. I want you to remember this dream in detail when I mention…hmm…chocolate frogs to you tomorrow." His gaze was sharp, yet still kindly and she chuckled.

"OK Headmaster. Chocolate frogs it is." She waved at him and let herself fade from the dream.

***************


	9. Reunion with the Goblin King

**Chapter 9- Reunion with the Goblin King**

Professor Umbridge's smile appeared more feigned than the previous night when she joined the staff for breakfast. "Good morning, Delores" said Dumbledore. "How did you sleep last night?"

A grimace appeared on Umbridge's squat face. "Not very well, Headmaster. I am very sensitive to the environment around me and it impacted my sleep. The atmosphere at Hogwarts is much darker than I had realized." Her amphibian eyes darted around the room, as if looking for creatures that might be hiding in the shadows.

"I'm sorry to hear that Delores" he replied, turning to hide the twinkle in his eyes.

Sarah finished her last class of the morning, then returned to her dorm room to be sure she had everything she needed for her first Muggle Studies class. Charity had recommended bringing her university work with her, in case she had the opportunity to study during or between classes.

The first afternoon class was a mix of second year students, mostly around twelve years old. The simplest things seem to amaze the pure wizard students, including the ball point pen and post-it notes she used. As the class ended, a house elf appeared to say that Headmaster Dumbledore would appreciate a few minutes of Miss Williams's time.

Sarah looked at Charity and raised an eyebrow. "Have I done anything that warrants being summoned to the Headmaster's office?" she asked with a smile.

The older woman laughed. "Not at all, Sarah. He probably has a question about Muggles for you."

Sarah walked to the stair leading to the Headmaster's office, and was surprised to find Professor Snape waiting. "Jelly Slugs" Snape said distastefully to the gargoyle, and the stairway opened. They climbed the stairs and entered the Headmaster's office.

Headmaster Dumbledore smiled at them as they entered and waved both of them to chairs in front of his desk. Sarah was surprised to be in a meeting with the two and tried to patiently wait for the explanation, turning her curious eyes to the older wizard.

"Good afternoon Headmaster. I understand you wanted to see me."

"Yes my dear. I have an odd topic to discuss and ask you to bear with me for a while before I explain." He waited for her nod of acquiescence and then asked quietly "Do you often dream of people at Hogwarts?"

Sarah blinked in confusion, not at all expecting the question. "Sometimes I do." She stopped herself from asking why.

"Would you disclose one of your dreams for me?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow and kept herself from looking at Professor Snape. "I remember a dream about Professor Burbage after we discussed escalators one evening. Although in my dream, her escalator was more magical than mundane." She smiled slightly while remembering.

"Tell me Sarah, have you ever dreamt of chocolate frogs?"

She instantly remembered the scene from her dream the previous night and looked at him feeling disoriented and confused. "No, but they…were…mentioned…in a dream…" She took a deep breath, letting the significance of the question settle in to her mind. "Are you telling me that you spoke to me in a dream?"

"I'm saying that I was dreaming and you joined my dream, changing it from a threatening situation to a non-threatening one". He looked at her with what appeared to be intense curiosity and mild good humor.

Sarah sat in the chair numb as the implications swirled in her mind. She had intruded into other peoples personal dreams? She would find it a gross violation of her privacy if she learned someone was watching her very private dreams. She shuddered at the thought of some of her more intimate dreams being open for public viewing.

She looked at Professor Snape wide-eyed, realization in her eyes that she had intruded on this very reserved man's most intimate and vulnerable memories turned nightmares. Her eyes filled with tears as she realized how much she had abused his privacy. He turned his head away and she felt nauseated.

She suddenly remembered Jareth's comments. "He said I was not only a dream walker, but a dream weaver" she whispered slowly.

"Who is he, my dear?" asked Dumbledore, eyes alive with curiosity.

"Just someone else to whom I need to apologize apparently" Sarah murmured. She had "walked" in other people's dreams? She had forced her way into their most private images uninvited and unwelcome? She felt her heart begin to race as her breathing quickened. The Headmaster, Professor Snape and the Goblin King…oh dear lord, the Goblin King.

Looking up, she took a deep breath. "Please accept my heart-felt regrets for my…intrusions into your privacy gentlemen. I had no idea; I thought they were my dreams. I am horrified and embarrassed to realize that I violated anyone's dreams; forcing myself in without your knowledge or consent. It is so incredibly offensive that I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but I do sincerely apologize". Her contrite tone was quietly humble.

"My dear, I don't know about Professor Snape's dreams, but you changed what had been threatening dreams to serene and pleasant experiences. I have no reason to be angry at that, especially when you weren't even aware you weren't in your own dream."

Sarah hurried to say "I honestly thought they were my own dreams or nightmares." She looked up and met Professor Snape's guarded eyes and added "I've never mentioned them to anyone and certainly never will." My god, she thought, I violated the man's mind, almost as much as if I had raped him. I think I'm going to be sick.

"Oh lord help me" she thought. "What if I can't control it? What if I harm someone?" Her stomach rolled violently at the thought.

She heard Dumbledore talking, but was focusing on keeping her last meal down, which was becoming more and more difficult.

Snape's cold voice broke in on Dumbledore's comments saying "I think Miss Williams may need to be excused, Headmaster." The elderly wizard looked at Sarah and raised his eyebrows. "You are certainly looking pale, Sarah. Would you like some water?"

Sarah swallowed heavily and murmured "I'm feeling a bit sick. Please excuse me." She made it to the closest girls' lavatory before losing her lunch, glad that class was in session and no one else was in the room. She rinsed her mouth and washed her face, trying to stop her hands from shaking.

What was she going to do now? Did the wizarding world have some sort of training to help her stay within her own dreams? She was disgusted at the very idea of someone she barely knew slipping in to her dreams, perhaps seeing her relive her most embarrassing or shameful moments. She would not, could not do that to other people. She thought of the spells she had read about. Perhaps some type of reverse Occlumency was possible.

She exited the bathroom and was embarrassed to find Professor Snape leaning against the wall, obviously waiting for her. He straightened as she came out, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, so missed how his gaze traveled over her pale face and slightly damp skin.

"Professor Snape" she began hesitantly "is there any type of reverse Occlumency that I might learn? Or does it all require me to have magic?"

"What do you know of Occlumency" he scowled as he indicated that she should follow him.

"I read in one of the spell books I bought that Occlumency magically defends the mind against external penetration, protecting it against invasion and influence. If there was a way to shield myself so that my mind didn't wander, I thought it was worth attempting. Otherwise, perhaps self-hypnosis or simple meditation exercises before bed would work."

"You'll notice it _magically_ defends the mind" Snape replied grimly. "The Headmaster thought you might want to try a sleeping potion, but I cannot guarantee you would not dream under its influence." He looked sideways at her appraisingly and she suddenly remembered that he was known as a master of Legilimency; the ability to pull information from another's mind.

The Potions Master led her down to his office in the sub-level, removed the wards and then ushered her in. Once he closed the door behind them, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Professor, if you want to use Legilimency on me, you are certainly owed the opportunity."

His eyes narrowed again and she thought he was honestly surprised him with the offer. "Why would I be interested in delving in the mind of a school aged chit?" he scoffed.

She stood quietly, meeting his eyes and saying nothing. "Oh sit down Miss Williams" he growled breaking eye contact. "You mentioned that someone said that you were not only a dream walker but a dream reaver?"

"Dream _weaver_" she correctly him quietly. "I thought it was only a dream; I didn't know it might have been an actual conversation." She blushed remembering how she had danced with the Goblin King in her nightgown.

"Would it be possible for the Headmaster or me to meet this person? We would like more information to know how best to help you control your abilities." He paused as she shifted uncomfortably and her face revealed alarm at the idea.

"I…I haven't seen him in years. It..it wasn't the…best of…relationships" she stammered.

"Your feelings over your former boyfriends aside, if someone recognizes your abilities, we need to gather additional information."

"He wasn't a boyfriend. He was…in a position of authority." Snape raised his eyebrows, but Sarah continued "I guess you could say that we were opponents in a contest."

"Indeed. Regardless of you having lost to him…"

"I won" she interrupted him, visions of the Escher room floating through her mind.

"Then why did your face show anxiety at the thought of talking to him?" Snape persisted, frowning at the young woman seated before him.

Sarah took several deep cleansing breaths, willing herself to a state of calmness. "Professor, I was still a child when I last met him, and perceived the situation through a frightened child's eyes." She smiled at him for the first time, realizing that the Hogwarts students probably felt the same about their Potions Master as she did about the Goblin King. She didn't find the taciturn man frightening, just a bit cantankerous. Perhaps the Goblin King wasn't as intimidating as she remembered him either.

"Let me try to develop an adult's perspective on the situation. If I can, then I will ask him for his assistance, Professor. Although, if there was no objection, I would appreciate it if you and the Headmaster attended an initial meeting."

Professor Snape stared at her as if trying to read her thoughts without employing Legilimency and finally nodded. "Very well, Miss Williams. We will discuss it again tomorrow." He handed her a small vial. "If you wish to avoid dreaming, try this elixir of Dreamless Sleep."

Sarah gave him a weak smile, recognizing he was pushing for an early decision and acquiesced. As she left his office, she turned and said quietly "By the way Professor, I'm not one of the students. You may call me Sarah." She smiled at him and closed the door before he could reply.

**_______________**

The following afternoon, Sarah swallowed hard and looked at the two older men before her. The past twenty-four hours had been difficult. The idea of possibly permitting the Goblin King power over her almost kept her from this discussion, but finally her concern for others conquered that fear.

She took a deep breath. "You asked about the man who recognized me as a dream walker. The story about how I met him is rather unusual, so please bear with me." She waited for them to nod; the Headmaster agreeably while the Potion Master did so impatiently.

"He's not of this world, and by that I mean he's not of the Muggle or the Wizarding world. There are other realms, where the Fae are more than the stuff of legends and stories. He is Fae, King of the Goblin kingdom and Master of the Labyrinth in the realm known as the Undergound."

She paused and watched their reactions. Dumbledore seemed intrigued with the information while Snape frowned and narrowed his eyes at her.

"When I was a teen, I accidentally said lines out of a book that permitted the Goblin King to take my brother. I had to travel through his Labyrinth in thirteen hours to win Toby back. I actually did complete it, even though he penalized me several hours for my attitude. At the time, I thought my life was in danger several times and found him menacing and frightening. Since then, I've been very careful never to make a wish and never to say his name out loud as that could be seen as an invitation back into my life and giving him power over me."

"I dreamt of him recently, but apparently entered his dream. He was the one who identified me as a dream walker and weaver. " She took a deep breath and said "I am ready to attempt to summon him if you are ready to hear what he has to say."

She looked at Dumbledore who was stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Oh please, Headmaster, you aren't going to believe this twaddle" exclaimed Snape.

"Calm down Severus" Dumbledore said composedly. Looking at Sarah he said with a smile "When you first visited Gringotts, the goblins treated you with respect and called you Lady, as I recall. Would this Goblin King be the one to whom the goblins of Gringotts report?" Snape looked up in surprise, obviously not having considered that.

"Yes Headmaster" Sarah responded quietly. "When I spoke with the bank's manager, he said that I was known as the Champion of the Labyrinth. It is apparently a rare occurrence for anyone to finish the Labyrinth, and those that do are held in high regard."

She looked a little embarrassed. "I suppose I should mention that I also have two little goblins that joined me once I left home. They say they are my protectors and one of them is almost always around if I leave the school grounds."

"Did the King assign them to you for your protection?" asked the Headmaster.

"They never said, sir. They just said where I go, they go. But if I call him, we can ask. My only concern is that when I left the Underground, it was with the understanding that he had no power over me. I'm a little concerned about granting him any degree of control."

"Why?" snapped the potions master.

Sarah felt her face flush. "That may be left over from the fear I had of him as a child. Let me simply say that I am cautious. He is a master of games and manipulation, especially those involving people."

When there were no more questions, Sarah took a deep breath and looked at the Headmaster. At his nod, she said quietly "I wish Jareth the Goblin King would come speak with me for the next thirty minutes right now."

"Thirty minutes?" asked Dumbledore.

"When making a wish, it is best to be as specific as possible. It can be twisted to mean something else, otherwise. I'm hoping that a time limit will prevent him from having power over me."

Sarah sat quietly, listening to her heart pound while the two wizards darted their eyes around the room as if looking for a goblin to appear. The seconds rolled into minutes and Sarah began to breathe easier. "Perhaps it will need to wait for the next dream" she said with evident relief, letting her tense muscles relax.

A crack of lightening outside the office made her shudder and she closed her eyes, forcing herself to sit quietly and not flee as adrenaline poured through her system. The room became heavy with power until it was difficult to breathe. A wind blew through the Headmasters tightly closed office, blowing papers off his desk. Another crack of lightening this time inside the Headmaster's quarters occurred, blinding everyone with the dazzling light. When their eyes cleared, a figure was standing against the window ledge, wearing power like a second skin.

He was regally attired in full goblin armor; the chest plate intricately engraved black on black. Black leather pants and boots, along with a high collared black feathered cloak lined in midnight blue completed his attire. His light blonde hair appeared nearly silver in the afternoon light, and his brows arched unusually over his mismatched eyes. He posed majestically, allowing the mortals to gape at him before smirking.

"Do not bother fingering your wands wizards; they will do you no good. You could cast your _Aveda Kedavra_ and it would fail to even tickle me". His voice was velvet and silk, both menacing and seductive.

His eyes moved towards Sarah and warmed slightly. "No need to wait for your dreams, Sarah" he drawled. "I am always willing to grant your every desire even in broad daylight."

Sarah looked up and met his eyes. "Nice entrance" she complimented him. "And of course you win extra points for having your first comment be a veiled threat and your second a sexual innuendo."

The smirk broadened into an amused smile. "I aim to please, precious thing." He folded his arms across his chest and lounged on the window ledge, staring at her fixedly until she thought she might drown in his intense gaze.

With a mental shake, she performed the necessary introductions. "Your Majesty, allow me to introduce Albus Dumbledore the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master. Gentlemen, His Majesty Jareth, King of the Goblins and Master of the Labyrinth."

"It was very considerate of Your Majesty to respond to Sarah's request" Dumbledore said with a polite smile as he gave a slight bow.

"Even a King does not keep his Lady waiting when she wishes for him" Jareth commented, smirking when Sarah frowned at him.

"Sarah tells us that you recognized her abilities. What can you tell us about dream weavers, Your Majesty?" continued the Headmaster.

Jareth continued to stare steadily at Sarah, not answering Dumbledore. Professor Snape took a step towards Sarah, but stopped when the Goblin King's eyes moved to him and darkened dangerously.

"Jareth" Sarah said softly. His eyes returned to hers and he relaxed slightly. "You said in your dream that I was both a dream walker and a dream weaver. Would you tell me what that means?"

"A dream walker is exactly that; able to enter and watch other people's dreams at will. They do not interact with or change the dream; they merely observe. A true dream weaver is rare. That person is able to interact with the other characters in the dream, is able to introduce elements to the dream and change everything about it. A dream weaver could turn a happy dream into a terrifying nightmare and could just as easily turn a terror-filled dream into something safe and serene."

He sauntered gracefully towards Sarah as he spoke."A talented dream weaver can cause changes to the person after they awaken. For example, he or she could convince the dreamer to act in a certain manner upon waking. A war was started in the Underground several centuries ago because a dream weaver convinced one king to attack another kingdom. An entire city was incapacitated when an untrained dream weaver had a high fever and his hallucinations became nightmares for everyone for leagues around."

Jareth lifted a strand of Sarah's hair and ran it through his fingers. "In the Underground where words have power and talents are multiplied, a dream weaver can even change the threads of reality. I asked you to change something in my dream Sarah. The mural you created was still on the wall when I awoke the following morning."

Sarah's eyes widened and she raised a hand to cover her mouth, both shocked and amused that she had left a mural of a petulant king on the wall.

"If it is a rare talent, how is it trained?" Dumbledore asked politely.

Jareth continued playing with a strand of hair as if considering whether to answer, but met Sarah's questioning eyes and sighed. "Anyone powerful enough with knowledge of the talent can train a novice dream weaver. It is well documented in my library. However, there are few powerful enough willing to undertake it. As an untrained dream weaver, Sarah could potentially pull the trainer into her mind without meaning to; absorbing the trainer's mind into their own permanently".

He looked at Snape and smirked, deliberately showing his pointed incisors. "It was wise of you not to attempt your mind reading trick on her. You may not have survived the effort."

The Goblin King turned to Sarah. "Your dreams could seriously endanger others. As dream weavers are unknown Aboveground, you will need to go Underground for training. I am one of the few powerful enough to avoid harm while training you. It will have to be me." He held out his hand imperiously to her, as if indicating that they would leave immediately.

Sarah had been looking away from him as he had given his explanations, trying to absorb what he was describing. When the Goblin King held out his hand to Sarah, Snape opened his mouth as if to say something, but Dumbledore shook his head at him, watching the young woman intently. After several seconds, Sarah stood and turned to face the Goblin King. She raised a hand and he smirked triumphantly for a brief moment, until her other hand joined it and she slowly applauded.

"Well done, Your Majesty. You identified my weaknesses and played my emotions like a master harpist plucks his strings." She lifted her lips in an imitation of a smile. "If you were ever sorted into a Hogwarts House, I dare say it would be Slytherin. You would make them proud." She glanced briefly at the Slytherin Housemaster and gave him a nearly imperceptible wink, causing the Goblin King's eyes narrow at the exchange.

"However, I must respectfully decline your _generous_ offer at the present. Now that I understand what's happening, I will study lucid dreaming techniques and endeavor to control my dreams through my own efforts. Between that, meditation and even hypnosis if necessary, I'm sure I can learn to control them."

"You would risk your friends, Sarah? Knowing that you can twist reality through your dreams?" Jareth challenged coolly.

"No more than you would risk if you attempted to coerce me, Your Majesty."

Jareth raised an eyebrow and sneered at her. "Are you attempting to threaten me little girl?"

"Not at all. I don't threaten; that's your _modus operandi_. Who am I, a mere wisp of a girl to threaten an immortal Fae king?" She smiled slowly. "Of course, little girls have such vivid imaginations. I can just imagine the Labyrinth turning neon pink, your goblins wearing ballerina tutus and calling you 'Daddy' and your castle turning into gingerbread with lime frosting in my next dream."

Her watch chimed and she beamed a smile at the men. "If you will excuse me gentlemen, my next class is about to begin. Headmaster, Professor Snape, Goblin King…" She inclined her head to them and departed, closing the door quietly, confident that Jareth would also depart. She would have been amazed to see the amused grin that spread over his attractive features after she left.

"You do not appear unsettled by her decision, Your Majesty" commented Dumbledore respectfully upon seeing the smile.

Jareth looked at the Headmaster, as if debating whether to answer or not before smiling condescendingly at the elderly wizard. "I intend to make her my Queen" he stated with calm assurance. "A Queen cannot be easily manipulated nor allow someone to maneuver her decisions by influencing her emotions." He smirked with evident pleasure at Sarah's response to him. "She just increased the intensity of our contest, and that does not trouble me at all. It makes the effort that much more entertaining and my eventual reward that much more gratifying."

The tall Fae drew himself up regally. "Make no mistake Headmaster, she _is_ my future Queen. Be certain that no harm befalls her while she is under your protection." His mismatched eyes promised terrifying consequences for failure and then with a crack of lightning he was gone and the oppressive weight in the room dissipated.

Dumbledore looked at Snape with a raised eyebrow. "We may want to increase the protections placed on her locket" he observed mildly.

"Indeed." The Potions Master turned with a billow of his robes and left the Headmaster's office, leaving Dumbledore to analyze what had just occurred and what might be coming.

***************


	10. Flitwick Intervenes

**Chapter 10 – Flitwick Intervenes**

Sarah was pleased with her first week of classes at Hogwarts. She and Charity had encouraged some lively discussions with the students, many of whom had never experienced any of the culture outside of the wizarding world.

The only annoyance during the week had been with the fifth year class on Thursday. That session was full after the Headmaster's encouragement of student participation for OWL's, including several who were Muggle-born and able to contribute to the topic discussions. One was an intellectual girl named Hermione Granger who was apparently one of the better students in the school, even though she was in Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw. The other was the boy Charity had mentioned in the teacher's lounge; Harry Potter who Sarah found to be a quiet and self-effacing boy. Those two were accompanied by a redheaded boy named Ron who seemed to find the class more entertaining than educational.

After class, she had remained behind to put away some of the materials when she heard some scuffling outside the room. Heading out, she found a blonde-haired boy and two larger dark haired boys facing Hermione, Harry and Ron. There were books and papers scattered around Harry and the blond boy was saying something about Mudbloods in a distinctly sneering tone.

In her coldest tone, Sarah quickly intervened. "Is there a problem here?"

The blonde boy appeared startled at her presence but then relaxed when he saw who it was, his face returning to the sneer it had held before. "Nothing with which you need to be concerned" he answered rudely.

Looking at the colors of his tie, she said quietly "Five points from Slytherin for disrespect to a member of the staff. What is your name young man?"

"Draco Malfoy." He said the name with another sneer as if it should impress her.

She looked at the two larger boys and raised an eyebrow. When they didn't catch on, she repeated the question to each of them, learning they were Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe and noting they also wore Slytherin ties.

"Please be so kind as to give me your definition of a _Mudblood_, Mr. Malfoy"

His temper rose as he spat out "Someone born to _Muggles_ possessing magic."

"As opposed to someone born to a wizarding family?" At the boy's curt nod, Sarah added "I would imagine that the person's magic would have to be very strong to materialize in an otherwise non-magical family. That alone should encourage forbearance."

"What do you know? You have no magic at all and are only assisting a Muggle class!"

"Ten points from Slytherin for cheek, Mr. Malfoy. I encourage you to review the rules regarding how the Hogwarts staff is to be treated."

To her surprise, the blonde boy began drawing his wand out of his robe as his face convulsed in fury. As he did, the three from her class began drawing their wands, immediately followed by the Goyle and Crabbe doing the same.

Her eyes narrowed as she began dropping into a defensive posture, ready to disarm whoever actually cast a spell. She wasn't surprised to see Broul appear from the shadows, heading towards Draco Malfoy, but was astonished when Tilly appeared before her, glaring at the Malfoy.

"No one is allowed to harm the Lady" she said in her high-pitched voice. "Perhaps the young sirs and miss will keep their hands in sight?"

The sight of a house elf appearing and speaking that way caused all of the children to freeze in shock momentarily and even Broul paused at the edge of the shadows. Sarah took advantage of their surprise saying in her coldest voice "Every wand I see will cost the bearer 50 house points. I strongly encourage each of you to continue to either your next class or your dormitory."

Draco stared first at the house elf and then at Sarah, before spinning on his heels and stalking away without another word. Goyle and Crabbe hurriedly followed.

Sarah raised an eyebrow at the other three. "I'm sorry Miss Williams; we didn't expect them to act that way towards a staff member." Harry bent and gathered his books and papers.

"House feuds have no place in the hallways" Sarah said quietly. "Or is this personal?"

"Malfoy and his cronies have had it in for Harry since his first year" the red-haired boy burst out.

"Ron" Harry warned quietly. "Enough."

Hermione was staring fixedly at Tilly. "I've never seen a house elf appear during an altercation."

Tilly turned her large eyes to the brown-haired girl. "The young sir was speaking rudely to the Lady and had his hand on his wand. That is not permitted." Her squeaky voice was surprisingly firm.

"Thank you Tilly, I'm fine." Sarah patted the little shoulder softly and gave the house elf a reassuring smile. With a large smile and bow at Sarah, the house elf snapped her fingers and disappeared.

As Harry stood with his books and papers, Sarah said quietly "If there is an on-going problem, you don't have to deal with it alone. Sometimes just talking to a member of the staff can help identify alternatives." Harry met her eyes and then dropped his, but nodded briefly.

"On your way then" Sarah said briskly. She watched the teens move out of sight and then headed to the teacher's lounge.

Charity looked up and smiled as she entered. "Oh there you are, Sarah. I wondered what had happened to you."

"A minor squabble between three Slytherins and three Gryffindors" Sarah replied. Both Professors McGonagall and Snape looked up, each with a frown.

"I had to take first five points, and then another ten from a youngster named Draco Malfoy. I think he was actually considering drawing his wand on me." Charity gasped and the other professors looked at Sarah in shock.

"I didn't say he did. Only that he put his hand in his pocket and seemed to be drawing it, which caused the other students to reach for theirs. Nothing came of it, but mostly because the house elf assigned to my room made an appearance." If the first comment had caused shock, the second seemed to render her small audience speechless. "She asked the young sirs and misses to please keep their hands in sight."

Headmaster Dumbledore was the first to respond. His normally twinkling eyes were cautious. "I imagine the students were surprised" he said mildly.

"No more than I was, but their astonishment allowed me to threaten to deduct 50 points for every wand I saw, and the situation was quickly defused." She looked at the Headmaster inquisitively. "This hasn't happened before, has it?"

"No my dear, the house elves are usually more reticent." His eyes began twinkling again.

The room became oppressive with power as the Headmaster spoke and then with a large crack, the Goblin King appeared in the lounge, his expression furious. All but Professor Flitwick immediately drew and pointed their wands at the intruder, but Dumbledore sharply commanded "no one take any offensive action".

To Sarah's surprise, the little charms professor dropped to one knee and gasped "Your Majesty!"

The tall Fae's expression changed from furious to an amused smirk. "It is pleasant to see that even diluted goblin blood recognizes its king".

Sarah narrowed her eyes at Jareth. "No one wished for you, Your Majesty. How and why are you here?"

"Sarah Sarah Sarah. You wished for me to talk with you for 30 minutes, but since you left after 17 minutes, we still have 13 remaining." He smiled at the kneeling charms professor. "I am sure Professor Flitwick appreciates me visiting."

In a choked voice, Flitwick immediately responded "Your Majesty is always welcome."

Sarah tried to control her anger and took a deep breath. Looking around the room at the curious teachers still holding their wands, she clipped out "Will your Majesty join me for a walk in the garden?"

Jareth smirked, delighted with her barely controlled anger. "Of course, precious." He offered her his arm, which she ignored.

She remained quiet, until they were out of the school and on to the garden path. "What do you want here, Your Majesty?"

"Jareth."

She glanced at him briefly as she continued stalking towards the garden's center. "Excuse me?"

"I prefer that you call me Jareth, rather than 'Your Majesty'."

"Very well Jareth, why are you here and what do you want?"

"I'm here because you called me, Sarah and then that delightful Professor Flicker.."

"Professor _Flitwick_."

"Yes, of course. Professor _Flitwick_ just gave me an unrestricted welcome at Hogwarts."

Sarah stopped and glared at him. "If I weren't here, would you care if you had an unrestrained welcome at Hogwarts?"

"You do make the school much more appealing, my dear."

"Jareth, what do you want with me? Am I some type of on-going challenge because I successfully completed the Labyrinth? Do you feel the need to compete with me? Do you need to beat me at a contest? If so, let's play a game of chess, you can trounce me and be done with it."

His voice was silky as he purred "While I admit that competing with you is enjoyable, what I want is much more than that Sarah." He stepped closer, his body brushing hers.

Sarah refused to be intimidated or take a step back, but snapped out "Why?"

The question appeared to surprise him. She realized he probably expected her to ask what, not why. Slowly, he responded "Because you fascinate me. Because you challenge me. Because you defy me. Because I find you beautiful and beguiling. Being immortal leads to boredom. When something new and challenging appears, it fascinates and captivates the imagination. You have captivated me, precious thing."

Sarah sighed and rubbed her eyes. "You don't even know me."

"That is my goal, Sarah. To know you, all of you." He smirked as he lifted his hand to her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear.

She frowned at the double entendre. "Jareth, I don't like how you go about things. I don't like being bullied or feeling that I can't trust you. And I _can't_ trust you. You will deceive and trick me whenever you can and you will enjoy it."

His amused smile was his only response.

"So why would _I_ want to spend time with someone who I can't trust? Why would I want a friendship or any other relationship with someone who admits to being deceitful, manipulative and devious? I like being able to have faith in my friends; being able to depend on them, to count on them."

"And yet you trust the manipulative Headmaster and the Slytherin Housemaster? At least I will never lie to you, Sarah."

She refused to be distracted, but paused to consider his words. "You won't lie to me?" He shook his head. "But you have no reluctance to deceive or manipulate?" His lips twitched in a smirk, but he didn't answer.

"Jareth…" She looked up at him curiously. "Do you have authority over the house elves?"

He smiled in approval at her realization. "They are distant cousins to goblins, but are as different from those Underground as the Gringotts goblins are."

"The Lady is not to be harmed?" He appeared to be fascinated with one of the flowering bushes and didn't reply.

"And Grep and Broul? Did you send them to me?"

"I thought you enjoyed their company, Sarah?"

"I do. They're sweethearts. Even if they eat or destroy some things, they seem to only go after the inexpensive items. I do care for them." Her face softened with affection for the two little goblins.

"Then I will not recall them if you are pleased with their company." His eyes took a distant quality as if he was listening to something. He nodded briefly. Stepping to a rose bush, he selected a bud and brushed his hand over it. It shimmered briefly and he handed it to her. "I must go, Sarah, I am being summoned." He lifted her unresisting hand and gently caressed her fingers with his lips. He stepped back and with a loud crack, disappeared from her sight.

She looked at the rose he had given her. The individual petals were a deep red, the blossom atop a green stem, but the gift was now made of crystal. She lifted it to look at it more closely and was amazed that she could still smell the soft rose scent.

She sighed and shook her head. He was infuriating, deceitful and manipulative and yet was also sweet, thoughtful and protective. What was she supposed to do with him?

_______________

As the door closed behind Sarah and Jareth, Professor Flitwick gasped as if just recognizing the need to breathe. Slowly, he rose up from where he had knelt in deference to the Fae Goblin King. He drew another trembling breath and looked up at Dumbledore with regret.

"My sincere apologies, Headmaster. I had only heard a whisper of there being a Goblin monarch, but when I saw him, something inside of me immediately recognized him and screamed "sovereign" to me. And any goblin blood in my family is over four generations in the past."

Dumbledore looked at the contrite Charms professor compassionately. "Fully understandable, my boy. Something tells me that if you hadn't been here, he would have found another way to gain access in the 13 minutes he had remaining."

Charity Burbage looked at the Headmaster apprehensively. "Headmaster, who _was_ that man? And what does he want with Sarah? I will not tolerate anyone mistreating her. _And how did he apparate into Hogwarts_?"

The last comment had been on everyone's mind and the other professors expressed their unease, their voices rising in shock and concern. Dumbledore raised his hands and obtained quiet. "That man is known as Jareth. He is the King of the Goblins, including those that manage Gringotts bank. He is Fae, extremely powerful, and apparently his powers are not bound by the same rules as our own. I do not believe he will harm anyone in Hogwarts that does not first attack him or Miss Williams. Anything else would be for Miss Williams to discuss. I will not presume to interfere in her personal life."

Professor Snape snorted loudly while Minerva McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the elderly wizard.

***************


	11. A Visitor to the Class Room

**Chapter 11 – A Visitor to the Class Room**

Charity was scowling when Sarah joined her in the Muggle Studies classroom after Jareth left. "Charity" the younger woman asked hesitantly, "are you all right?"

The older woman frowned heavily. "I'm sorry Sarah, but I just received word that Professor Umbridge is going to sit in our class today to evaluate my performance."

"Evaluate your performance? But surely that is the Headmaster's role?"

"Professor Umbridge has been appointed to the newly created role of 'High Inquisitor' by the Ministry of Magic, and has been given the authority to evaluate and even dismiss teachers who do not meet her requirements. She has also been granted the power to impose additional rules and regulations on the students."

"High Inquisitor? I don't like the sound of that at all. It is too reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition."

The professor shook her head as students began entering the classroom.

Delores Umbridge joined the class ten minutes after it started, making a point of coughing and apologizing for disturbing the lesson. Charity nodded politely to her and then proceeded to ignore her presence, moving into the differences between the education systems.

Sarah covertly watched the squat older woman observing the class. Her cheerful and much too youthful pink attire was contradicted by a facial expression that implied she had ingested curdled milk. She scribbled notes intensely as the class progressed, her sour expression not improving. Sarah wondered whether Umbridge was dissatisfied with the course content or the teaching approach, and tried to objectively observe Charity Burbage as she walked through the content.

Professor Burbage was explaining the differences between primary and secondary schooling in the Muggle world, clearly drawing distinctions between the magical approach of the wizarding community and the approach of Muggles. Her tone was enthusiastic; she met her students' eyes and encouraged them to participate in the discussion, asking for their perspectives and questions. Sarah thought the professor's animated teaching style was very effective as the students appeared engrossed in the discussion.

As the class ended, the professor made a quick assignment. "I'll be looking for a two foot essay covering additional points that were not brought up in class today, due next week." The students appeared relieved at the size of the assignment and left in high spirits.

"Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Professor Umbridge" Charity said politely once the students had left.

"Heh heh, well it was interesting. Tell me Professor Burbage, what is your purpose in this class?"

Charity blinked in surprise. "Muggle Studies attempts to help students understand the difference between the way wizards think and the way Muggles think, and is especially helpful for those wishing to pursue a career in Muggle relations."

Professor Umbridge looked pained, making additional notes on her parchment. Sarah met Charity's eye and suppressed a grin at the other woman's warning look.

"Miss Williams, what value do you add to this class?"

Sarah made sure her voice was polite and indifferent. "I am here to assist Professor Burbage in whatever method she deems appropriate, Professor Umbridge. I help provide additional information and offer another perspective on the Muggle topic under discussion, gather any Muggle materials that may prove useful for classroom demonstrations, help grade homework or perform any other activity Professor Burbage requests."

"With no magic yourself; surely this is a difficult position to hold?" Umbridge's sickening sweet voice failed to cover the patronizing tone of the question.

"Being a Muggle assisting in a Muggles Study course hasn't been difficult to date, ma'am."

"And how does a non-magical assistant enforce discipline in the classroom or hallways?"

"Through the defined and approved methods, Professor." At the other woman's raised eyebrow, Sarah elaborated. "Through the addition or deduction of House points, through assigning lines or essays; escalating to detention when it's needed." Sarah offered the toad-like woman a bland expression.

"And do you find your jealousy of the wizarding world impacts your disciplinary actions, Miss Williams?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow and exchanged a puzzled glance with Professor Burbage. "My _jealousy_ of the wizarding world?"

"Come now, Miss Williams. There is no need to be embarrassed. It is obvious that the wizarding world and the magic it contains offer a fundamental difference from the dreary Muggle world. It is my obligation to ensure that your envy does not translate into resentment and inappropriate disciplinary actions." The plump woman smiled sweetly at Sarah as she delivered the slight.

Drawing a slow breath in, Sarah exhaled quietly before responding. "I believe you have a misconception, Professor Umbridge. I was raised to recognize the advantages of diversity and to value them; to realize that a population can draw strength from the unique talents and abilities inherent in a diverse population." Focused on the other woman's repulsive face, Sarah failed to see the students for the next class gathering in the doorway.

"I believe that an instructor's role is to be sure that the students are encouraged to perform their best work, which means fostering an environment of respect for lifestyle, cultural and ethnic differences. In a world where people live in a global community, learning to recognize and appreciate diverse viewpoints ensures an energetic and healthy atmosphere."

Professor Umbridge's face showed barely restrained contempt, but Sarah pressed on. "Both the wizarding and muggle cultures have diverse talents and perspectives. This class is to help the students understand the differences, not laud one over the other; simply explore those differences."

The squat woman's wide face was mottled with color as Sarah finally finished speaking, although her voice remained cloyingly sweet. "Surely you recognize there is nothing that the Muggle world offers that the wizarding world hasn't already provided, Miss Williams!"

"I was only introduced to the wizarding world this summer, Professor, so I obviously have not been able to make a full study of all aspects of both cultures. For example, while I know that Muggles visited the moon four decades ago, I don't know when wizards walked upon its surface." She gave the Professor an innocently inquiring look.

Charity intervened quickly. "I'm sorry Professor, but our next class is nearly ready to begin. Perhaps this delightful discussion of diversity could continue after school hours?" She looked meaningfully over the other woman's shoulder.

Turning around, Umbridge saw the students packed in the doorway, hesitating to enter. With her most saccharine voice, she exclaimed "Miss Williams, why are you not ensuring the students are in their seats before class begins. Come now everyone; hurry before Miss Williams begins issuing detentions."

The students filed in to the class room, glancing curiously between the staff members as they sat down. Once all the students were seated, Professor Umbridge stalked out of the room, her shoes stamping heavily on the stone floor.

Sarah met Professor Burbage's eyes and the other woman barely restrained from rolling her own before beginning the day's lesson.

_______________

When classes were done for the day, Sarah decided not to join the staff at dinner, not wishing to be subjected to Umbridge's presence. Instead she returned to her room to change into her soft brushed cotton white crossover shirt, drawstring pants and trainers. She picked up her bo staff and a bottle of water and quickly moved to the fourth floor classroom that Dumbledore had allotted to her use. She was pleased to see that the floor was covered in the mats as he had offered.

Removing her trainers, she spent twenty minutes in warm up stretching exercises before beginning the more in-depth work out.

She began her katas with the blocking movements; close-handed blocks, open-handed blocks and wrist blocks. Before she began her kicking routine, she took several of the floor mats, and leaned them on the wall. As she didn't have a bag, this would have to do. Kicking air did little to develop a powerful or useful kick, while a bag - or in her case a matted wall -would help strengthen her muscles and speed. She practiced her front, side, high and middle roundhouse kicks, as well as knee strikes, back kicks and groin kicks.

Finally, she moved into the combined block and counter techniques, with middle block, middle punch; middle block and back fist; open hand block and rising punch; hooking block and palm heel strike and concluding with the wrist and palm heel strike.

Sarah was breathing heavily by now, covered in a sheen of perspiration. She took a deep drink from her bottled water before picking up her bo staff.

Standing with her feet shoulder length apart, she held the staff out in front of her body, with one hand upwards and the other hand down. She began to turn the staff in a full circle crossing her hands one over the other, holding the staff out from her body with her arms extended as she turned it. She commenced slowly, gradually increasing her speed until the staff was a blur and made a whirling noise in the quiet room.

With focused concentration, she began twirling the staff out to her side, beginning in front and extending it to the side with a smooth movement. Finally she began a routine by turning the staff to the front, stopping suddenly to pound the end of the staff on the floor, then twirling it to the side and stopping again, thrusting it out as if she was poking an opponent. Again and again, she twirled it from front to side and back again, gradually adding in the full range of kicks until it appeared that she was fighting an invisible foe.

As her routine finished, she drank again, finally moving in to her cool down stretches. Her sensei always insisted on proper cool down exercises, and Sarah could repeat his comments verbatim. "You must perform basic stretching exercises in order to bring back to the body to a more relaxed state and to condition the muscles for the next day of practice."

Sarah began moving through the exercises with her eyes closed, remembering the instructions. She let her arms hang loose, pulled up her chin and breathed in her nose and out her mouth. She rose up on her toes and down again, relaxing her muscles. Following that she stood relaxed and began bending her knees, up, down, up down. She moved through each step thoroughly, until her breathing was relaxed and her body cool. Finally she felt both relaxed and calm.

Turning around, she was surprised to see three students watching her with avid curiosity and recognized the three from her fifth-year class that had been involved in the hallway disturbance. "Miss Granger, Mister Potter, Mister Weasely" she nodded at them.

"We're sorry, Miss Williams" the girl said hurriedly. "We were on our way to the library and heard movements in here. It sounded like fighting and we came to investigate."

"We didn't mean to disturb you" the dark-haired boy added.

Ron Weasely was more to the point with his comments. "That was amazing! You must be bloody marvelous in a scrap!"

"Language Ron!" immediately responded Hermione and Sarah had to laugh as the boy blushed.

"It's fine. The Headmaster offered me an unused class room for my exercises. I'll be sure to close the door in the future so that I don't disturb people going to the library."

"You are a martial artist? Do you go through that routine every day, Miss Williams?" asked Hermione.

"That or a similar one." Sarah sat down to put on her trainers. "It helps not only tone the body but balance the mind. Even the frustrations from the worst sort of day can be relieved with a regular routine of focus and exercise. Plus it helps with balance, stamina and speed."

"Speaking of the worst sort of day, I have to go to Professor Umbridge's detention" muttered Harry as he rubbed his arm.

Something about the boy caught Sarah's attention. She wasn't sure if it was the unconscious rubbing of his arm or the barely masked despair in his eyes, but she couldn't help saying "Mr. Potter…" and then paused not sure what she meant to say.

He looked at her curiously and she forced herself to continue. "Sometimes we find ourselves in situations not of our own making. If you ever need to talk to someone who can offer another perspective, please feel free to talk to me". She paused a second time and then added "in confidence, of course."

"Um…thank you Miss Williams" the dark haired boy mumbled and then turned quickly to leave the room. His friends looked after him and back to her as she picked up her bo staff and water bottle. "That goes for you as well" she added to the other two as she left the room.

Back in her room, Sarah showered and changed into jeans and cotton blouse, before sitting down at her desk to correct the first year essays. Charity had her mark the first through third years, saving the higher classes for herself. Sarah's stomach growled mid-way through the first stack and she reluctantly called out "Tilly…"

With a small pop, the little house elf was in her room, bobbing politely. "Yes Lady? What can Tilly be doing to make you happy?"

Sarah couldn't help but smile at the eager little elf. "I was just wondering if I could convince you to bring me some fruit and water. I didn't go to dinner tonight."

"Lady Sarah! You mustn't be missing your meals! Of course Tilly will be bringing you something!" The house elf disappeared again, but before Sarah had finished the essay she was on, another pop announced Tilly's return.

"Tilly is bringing the Lady a nice cucumber sandwich, an apple, and grapes as well as a pitcher of water. Unless the Lady prefers something else? Tilly can be bringing chicken or roast beef or…"

Sarah interrupted the litany with a smile before the entire kitchen contents could be listed. "No, no, this is wonderful Tilly, thank you! You take such good care of me."

The little house elf wiggled in pleasure. "Thank you Lady! Tilly is being happy to serve!" With a little curtsey and tug on her pillowcase dress, she disappeared again.

Sarah munched on the sandwich and fruit as she finished marking the essays. It was obvious that some of the children simply couldn't visualize Muggle tools and technology, and Sarah made a mental note to discuss getting posters or other visual aids with Charity.

Finally, she yawned and changed into her night clothes, slipping into bed for evening meditation exercises. Unfortunately, she fell asleep before she finished.

_______________

She was floating through Hogwarts and felt a tug pulling her to another location. She looked around as a room coalesced about her. The room was disgustingly youthful and frilly, and she frowned as she realized Delores Umbridge sat behind a desk directing a spiteful smile somewhere over Sarah's shoulder. Sarah turned and saw a dark-haired boy sitting at a desk doing what appeared to be homework. Harry Potter! His face was set in fierce determination as he wrote.

Sarah drifted over to him, looking at his lines. "_I must not tell lies_" covered the page. She frowned at the red ink, and then gasped in horror as she realized his hand and arm appeared to be bleeding. She whirled to glare at Delores Umbridge, sickened by the malicious pleasure she saw written on the other woman's face.

"You bloody witch! I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now!" In a rush, goblins materialized out of the darkness and dragged the shocked and kicking witch away to the shadows.

Sarah turned back to Harry Potter. "I'm so sorry Harry. I'll see what I can do. You aren't alone. Remember, you aren't alone. Tell Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall about this. Talk to me. You aren't alone."

The dark haired boy looked as if he was trying to focus on her, and then began fading away. "He must be waking up" she realized as the room itself faded away.

"I think it's time I visited Professor Umbridge's dreams" she decided. She focused on Umbridge and felt a brief tug. She concentrated and rather than drifting, she began stalking in that direction. She was angry; if the woman was actually physically harming a student then Sarah wasn't going to let her get away with it. She paused briefly to consider. What if Harry had only been having a nightmare? Well, she would see.

She felt a dream begin to form around her and allowed herself to enter. To her amazement, she was in a shaft watching as hands dropped a pink-clad body down into the darkness below. "Down she said and down she goes!" one set of hands called out.

The Labyrinth! She was in the Labyrinth and Delores Umbridge was being dropped into an oubliette. Did her actions in Harry's dream impact Umbridge's dream? Or…had she been in Umbridge's dream to begin with, not Harry's?

"I need to wake up" she thought. "I need to wake up now." She repeated it over and over until she sat up in her bed, with a concerned Grep sitting beside her stroking her arm.

"Lady was having a bad dream?" he asked softly.

She focused on him and willed her breathing to slow. "Grep…can goblins take someone's dream self to the Labyrinth if the right words are spoken?"

His little eyes widened and then slipped away from hers. He jumped off the bed, waddled over to his drawer and climbed in. "Dreams are dreams" he mumbled finally and pulled a blanket over his head.

Sarah stared at the little blanket covered goblin. While he didn't always answer question, these actions were odd indeed. After several minutes, she reached into her nightstand drawer and removed the potion vial Professor Snape had given her. She stared at it for several moments, before removing the stopper and drinking it down. "No more dreams tonight" she breathed as she lay down again.

***************


	12. An Angry Potions Master

**Chapter 12 – An Angry Potion Master**

On Fridays, Sarah had no University classes so slept overnight at Hogwarts and joined Charity for all of her classes. Neither Grep nor Broul was in her room when she awoke, so she showered and dressed quickly before joining the staff for breakfast in the Great Hall. Glancing at the table as she walked towards the dais, she was pleased to realize that Delores Umbridge wasn't among their number.

She sat next to Charity Burbage with Professor Flitwick on her either side, offering them both a smile and cheery "Good Morning!" as she took her seat.

Professor Flitwick immediately addressed her. "Miss Williams, I am delighted to see you this morning. I hope my reprehensible behavior did not prevent you from attending dinner last night." His small form was bowed in contrition.

"Professor Flitwick! No, of course not! You haven't done anything I could conceivably consider reprehensible. You've never been anything but polite and helpful."

"I permitted the Goblin King access to Hogwarts, and I understand you are uncomfortable with his presence. Please accept my humblest apologies, Miss Williams."

"No apologies are necessary, Professor and please call me Sarah. His Majesty has a way of achieving his desires. If it hadn't been you, it probably would have been through one of the students, and I prefer he not manipulate them to achieve his goals."

The Charms professor appeared ready to say he didn't appreciate the Goblin King manipulating him when Charity interrupted by asking "Where were you last night, Sarah? There wasn't another problem, was there?"

"No, I'm sorry Charity but I found myself a bit unsettled by Professor Umbridge so went immediately to the fourth floor for my exercise routine. That always helps me find my emotional as well as physical balance."

The older woman was immediately distracted. "Oh, your care-ah-tay exercises? I would love to watch you one day if you wouldn't object, Sarah".

"Any time, Charity. I spend anywhere from one to two hours daily on my exercises. When my schedule permits, I enjoy them first thing in the morning, but after dinner is also good as long as it's several hours before I attempt to sleep."

Sarah drew a deep breath when she heard the Headmaster's cheery voice say "Good morning Delores". Looking up, she was startled to see the strained and pinched look on the unpleasant woman's face, her normally tightly coiffed hair was less than perfect, her hands seemed to be clenched as she forced out "Good morning Headmaster".

"Are you sleeping all right, Delores? You appear rather weary." Sarah couldn't tell if Dumbledore was sincere in his concern.

"This school's environment is not conducive to restful sleep" snapped the squat woman as she reached for her tea with a hand that trembled ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry to hear that Delores. Perhaps you should ask Poppy or Severus for a sleeping draught? We can't have our Defense instructor too tired to teach."

Umbridge fixed Dumbledore with a nasty glare. "I will always be prepared to instruct the students Headmaster."

"Of course, Delores" Dumbledore replied soothingly, although his eyes twinkled as he looked down at his plate.

_______________

The last Muggle Studies class was finished in the early afternoon, leaving Sarah time to complete grading essays and one quiz from the first to third year classes. She stayed in the class room with Charity who was working on marking the fifth year essays.

Charity completed looking up references from Hermione Granger's essay. The girl had compared chemistry and potions classes, which required Charity to borrow one of Professor Snape's books to validate the reference.

She finished that essay and looked up to see Sarah gathering her papers, her marking complete. "Sarah, if you are returning to your room, would you please give this book back to Professor Snape with my thanks?"

Sarah accepted the book and smiled at the older woman. "Of course, Charity, my pleasure. I will see you at dinner." Leaving the older woman, she descended the stairs to the lower level and looked into the Potions classroom, delighted to see no class in progress.

Professor Snape's back was to her as he slowly stirred a cauldron before stepping back and moving to the work bench. She knocked lightly and he turned with a scowl at the intrusion.

Smiling warmly at the taciturn man, Sarah showed him the book. "Charity asked me to return the book she borrowed and express her appreciation for the loan."

His scowl lessened marginally and he nodded curtly. "You may leave it on my desk."

She walked across the room, trying not to peer at his cauldron curiously. Memories of her high school chemistry teacher and time spent in that lab bubbled to the surface of her mind and she smiled softly in recollection.

A sharp knock on the door brought caused both Sarah and Professor Snape to look up. "Professor, there is a…" the Slytherin boy was breathing heavily from running, but looked briefly at Sarah before continuing "…situation in the Slytherin Commons room. Would you come please, sir?"

"My cauldron cannot be left unattended, Mr. Higgs and cannot be placed into stasis. It will have to wait 15 minutes."

The young man's eyes widened as if that long of a delay could have disastrous results, but before he could comment, Sarah asked "May I be of assistance, Professor?"

Snape turned at the quiet comment and evaluated the Muggles Studies Assistant. "Very well, Miss Williams. I should be back within 15 minutes, but if I am not…" Here he glared at the Slytherin boy who grimaced slightly. "…then the potion will be ruined if the next ingredient is not added. If I am not back, then move the cauldron off the heat." He scowled at the waiting Slytherin and muttered about the rarity of the ingredients and that it would take another month to attempt to recreate the potion as he stalked out of the room towards the Slytherin Commons, his robes billowing behind him.

Sarah checked her watch noting when 15 minutes would be up, then moved to the bench where he had been brewing, eyeing the ingredients and the open potion book curiously. The potion book was obviously his own, as it was hand-written and filled with drawn images and detailed instructions.

The book was opened to something called "The Eldridge Potion". Sarah knew she was being nosy, but it didn't stop her from reading the open pages. "The Eldridge potion will cause the patient's vital organs to slow down, comparable to a hibernating animal, permitting deep healing to occur" she read. Looking over the bench and the detailed instructions, she realized that the next ingredients were cut and ready to go while others were lined up for preparation. The notes in the margin described how rare the first potion ingredients were and how costly it was to make. She flipped through the book noting he had the same format on all pages; a description of the potion's purpose, drawn pictures of how the ingredients should look when prepared, warnings about hazards of the potion, and detailed instructions on stirring, as well as cauldron types and temperatures. If spells were involved, a separate section was set aside to describe that.

When fourteen minutes had passed with no sign of Snape, Sarah reviewed the Eldridge potion instructions again. There were no spells involved, and the next ingredient was already prepared for inclusion. Precisely fifteen minutes after Professor Snape left the room, Sarah took a deep breath and slowly added the next ingredients, stirring exactly as his notes indicated. The mixture took on the consistency and color his annotations indicated and she breathed a sigh of relief.

The next ingredient was a root that needed to be sliced, and a hand drawn picture of exactly what it should look like was in the book along with a comment about the type of knife to use. She found both the root and knife already laid out on the bench and began slicing the root, making sure it matched up exactly to the book's image. She watched the time carefully and stirred in the cut roots, then followed the directions and moved the cauldron off the heat for exactly 3 minutes before the next ingredient was added. Each subsequent ingredient was easy to identify with his detailed descriptions of ingredients, the color and even the scent of the potion and she was relieved at how detailed at how easy it was to follow his documentation.

The next step was to crush some dried leaves dust-like quality. She found the leaves and put them in the mortar, grinding them into a fine dust just in time to move the cauldron back over the heat. She stirred the mixture twenty-three times counterclockwise and then added the powdered leaves. This had to boil for seventeen minutes and then cool for twenty before it could be bottled.

Over an hour had passed since Snape's departure, so while the potion was cooling Sarah took two sheets of blank parchment from his desk; one to copy the ingredients so that she could obtain more for him in case she had ruined the potion. After timing the boiling and then cooling, she carefully filled the bottles per the instructions and labeled them, adding her own initials to the labels.

Once the bottling was complete and he hadn't returned, she wrote a note explaining what she had done.

"Miss Williams, what are you still doing here?" The angry and frustrated voice came from the doorway as she was folding her note.

Looking up, she watched Snape stalk into the room and gave him a welcoming smile. "Welcome back, Professor. I was just leaving you a note. I know you said the potion would be ruined if you were not back within fifteen minutes and I didn't want your work to go to waste, so I attempted to finish it for you."

"You did _what_?" He towered over her, his face alarming with its fury. "With no potion knowledge? You could have caused severe damage to my classroom or yourself! I did not ask for your interference other than to remove the cauldron from the heat, but you couldn't even follow that simple direction?"

"I'm sorry Professor" she began, trying to explain.

Rage filled voice as he stabbed his hand viciously towards the door. "Just get out!"

Sarah sighed and walked out of the classroom, pausing in the doorway but his glare caused her to bite her tongue and leave without saying anything more.

Snape was infuriated. First his Slytherins had gotten into a fight and he had to assign detention and deduct points from his own House. Then the Dark Mark summoned him to Voldemorte, where all Death Eaters had to endure nearly an hour of Voldemorte's rage over someone else's mistake. At least he had been spared the _Cruciatus_ curse today. However, he finally escaped only to return and discover an untrained Muggle was working alone and unsupervised on a Master level potion. Blast the girl!

He picked up the note she had left on his desk and was about to _incendo_ it, but decided to see how she attempted to explain her presumptive actions.

_Dear Professor Snape, _

_I know you specifically instructed me to remove the cauldron from the heat after fifteen minutes if you had not returned. However, in looking at your potion book, I saw that the ingredients already used were rare and expensive. Reading through your detailed instructions, I saw no mention of magic being used in the potion creation and no mention of explosive qualities of the ingredients or harmful fumes (where other potions in the book did mention that). Because of that omission, I attempted to complete the potion so that your ingredients would not be wasted._

_I cut the root and matched the slices to the illustration in the book. The rest was simply following your detailed instructions. Anyone able to read should be able to complete something so very well documented. I bottled and labeled the potions, but added my initials so that it would be evident that an amateur had created them and would not be mixed with your own potions. _

_In case the potion is not accurate, I also will obtain replacement ingredients for you. Hopefully they will be here tomorrow._

_I know you must be frustrated by whatever delayed you and hope this effort does not worsen your irritation._

_Sincerely, _

_Sarah Williams_

Arrogant chit! How dare she disregard his specific instructions? He turned to the neatly labeled potion bottles, prepared to destroy them. As he lifted his wand to _evanesco_ the bottles, he realized that the unusual shade of indigo was appropriate for the Eldridge potion. He hesitated and then cast a revealing spell on one bottle, raising an eyebrow at the result.

Upstairs, Sarah looked at the notes she had taken and the pictures she had meticulously copied. She had obviously stepped over the boundaries, she realized. If she had been injured, Professor Snape would likely have been held at fault. The young woman sighed heavily, annoyed at herself.

"Lady not happy" commented Grep popping in from who knew where.

"I made one of the professors angry with me." Grep bared his teeth at the idea of someone being annoyed with the Lady, but she corrected him gently. "It was my fault, Grep." She sighed again and looked at the drawing of the rare flower in her hand.

He leaned over her arm. "Pretty Dragonswirl picture, Lady."

Sarah looked at him. "Dragonswirl? Is that what you call the flower?" He nodded. "Doesn't taste too good though" he added.

"Grep, do you know where this grows?" He nodded indifferently. "Would you bring me some of the plants? If there are plenty to spare, of course."

He frowned at her. "Lady, Grep doesn't want to go there…"

"Go where?"

"Bog. This grows by the Bog. Stinky nasty Bog."

Sarah stroked his back. "Please Grep? You don't have to go _in_ the Bog, just bring me some of the Dragonswirl plants."

He hesitated, obviously torn between not wanting to be near the Bog and the Lady asking _him_ to do something for her. "I'll bring you extra erasers and rubber bands" she wheedled.

"OK Lady. But this many erasers!" and he held up all the fingers on his little hands. After she nodded, he grumbled and disappeared from sight.

At breakfast on Saturday, Snape complained to Charity about Sarah disobeying his explicit instructions. Surprise over Sarah's actions were clearly visible on Charity's face. "Were the potions ruined then Severous? Or was anything damaged?"

"No" Snape bit out.

"Were the ingredients ruined?"

"Irrelevant Charity. She deliberately disregarded the very simple instructions she had been given."

From several seats over, Dumbledore asked "Severus, did she actually _complete_ the Eldridge potion, a master level formula?"

The acerbic expression on the Potion Master's face expressed his distaste at having to comment, but he did so honestly. "Only because my handwritten instructions were so specific a dunderhead could do it, Headmaster."

"Of course, Severus." The Headmaster's eyes twinkled and Snape glared at him.

Back in his office after breakfast, Snape glowered at the neatly labeled potions. To his surprise, a house elf came into the room bearing a box. "Begging your pardon Professor Snape sir, but Tilly is bringing this for you" and handed him the box. "Tilly will be right back with the rest" and the elf disappeared.

He frowned at the box, recognizing the logo of the apothecary shop in Diagon Alley. Inside, he found all of the potion ingredients for the Eldridge potion minus the rare Medhson's Roxo Fiore blossoms. There was no note, simply a delivery addressed to him. He snorted. What good did the other ingredients do without the rare Medhson's Roxo blossoms?

The house elf reappeared, struggling to carry a bucket which she placed on his desk. "With Lady Sarah's compliments Professor Snape, sir" she said before curtseying and disappearing. Snape looked at the container on his desk with disbelieving eyes. A single Mehdson's Roxo Fiores plant was extremely rare. The bucket contained several healthy and blooming plants somehow surviving in a bucket of the most disgusting soil the Potions Master had ever smelled.

_______________

Snape stalked the hallways, going floor by floor. On the fourth floor, he found a classroom open. There were no tables in the room, only mats covering the floor. Inside was the Muggle Studies assistant wearing an odd loose fitting two piece white trouser set; the white crossover jacket was tied with a black belt.

He stood in the doorway observing her. She was glistening with perspiration although she was performing simple stretching exercises. While he watched, she squatted on one leg while stretching the other, then alternated legs. Next she stood on one leg while raising the other high above her head while keeping it straight. Finally, she sat on the floor and held her forehead to the knee of an outstretched leg, then swapped to the other.

She glanced down at the floor to her left and then to his surprise with her back still to the door she asked "Yes, Professor Snape? Were you looking for me?" They were in an inner room with no windows for his reflection and he wondered how she knew he was there.

"I did not wish to interrupt your…exercises" he said stepping into the matted room.

"I'm just finishing my cool down." Sarah stretched her other leg out in front of her and placed her hands flat on the ground above her head, placing her feet flat on the mat. She arched her back and slowly raised her legs until she was doing a handstand, turned around to face him then dropped and somersaulted to a standing position. Walking over to her towel, she dabbed the perspiration from her face before wrapping the towel around her neck, then picked up her water bottle and took a long drink.

"What can I do for you, Professor?" she asked politely after quenching her thirst.

"Professor Sprout was quite impressed with the Mehdson's Roxo Fiores plants that you had delivered to me. She is curious as to where you were able to obtain them."

"I called in some favors" she replied looking a bit to the left of her feet. She smiled towards the floor before adding "and negotiated a trade."

"Pomona may wish to ask about the environment in which they were grown to ensure she can keep them healthy."

"I would be happy to speak with her". Walking to the door she commented "Hopefully you will be able to replace the potions I ruined."

"They were not ruined, Miss Williams."

The young woman paused and looked at him curiously.

He frowned but forced out "They were…adequate."

She beamed a radiant smile at him. "Excellent! I do apologize, you know. Since your other recipes always documented hazards such as flammability, fumes or potential explosions, I felt safe in proceeding when that one did not. Especially since your directions were so precise and illustrated. But it doesn't change that I did fail to do as you instructed, and for that I apologize."

"I do have a reason for my instructions, Miss Williams."

"But you'll forgive me this time." Her smile reached her eyes and she held out a hand. "Friends, Professor?"

His dark eyes scanned her face intently and then his cool hand brushed her warm one briefly. "Colleagues, Miss Williams."

She grinned cheekily at him. "That will be…adequate".

***************


	13. Other Men or Sarah’s Preferred Type

**Chapter 13 – Other Men or Sarah's Preferred Type**

"Miss Williams." Sarah looked up from her quiet luncheon conversation with Charity and glanced politely at the Headmaster. "Would you join me in my office once you have completed your meal?"

"Of course Headmaster" she responded politely.

He nodded and Sarah returned to her conversation with Charity about the fifth year students and preparations for OWL's.

She wasn't particularly surprised to see Professor Snape waiting for her by the gargoyles. She offered him a smile and accepted his curt nod in return. "Fizzing Whizbee" he said disdainfully as she joined him. She hid a grin, realizing how much he must dislike forcing such passwords out of his mouth. The gargoyles slid aside and they walked up the steps.

Dumbledore beamed cheerfully at each of them as they entered. He indicated the seats in front of him and said "Please, sit down. Sarah, I am interested in knowing how you plan to learn to control your new abilities. I asked Severus to join us as his experience in magic mind control may be of use in your approach."

A silky voice reverberated through the room. "I am also interested in your approach, Precious".

Of the three, only Dumbledore exhibited no reaction to the additional presence. The Potions Master grasped his wand with a lightning fast reflex, not drawing it only due to a nearly invisible headshake by the Headmaster.

Sarah stiffened and turned to glare at Jareth. He leaned against the window perfectly at ease; an image of Fae perfection with his white-blonde hair and mismatched eyes that could freeze the earth or warm the heart. Clad in black leather trousers and a dark green silk shirt topped by a high-collared iridescent black cape, he was the epitome of grace and beauty cloaked with power.

He smirked, amused at her glare. If looks could kill, he would surely be dead. Actually, he thought dryly, she looked like he should be dead, buried, dug up and killed again.

"Come now, my dear. You have already demonstrated that you are able to physically alter my realm through your dreams. Surely you did not believe I would not be interested in how you plan to control your abilities after you refused my assistance?" His lips quivered at her annoyed expression.

Sarah turned her body away from him. "Thank you for your concern Albus, Severus." She nodded deliberately at each in turn. The Potions Master twitched, but said nothing as colleagues did use given names.

"I spent quite some time researching multiple methods. Lucid dreaming is something that has been studied for decades in the non-magical world and there are tried and true methods that are recommended." Sarah ignored Jareth as he gracefully moved around the room until he was centered behind the Headmaster and Potions Master, able to watch her face as she spoke.

"Firstly, it is recommended that I keep a journal to assist with recalling dreams. It helps increase awareness of the dream state which is considered the 'gateway'to lucid dreaming."

Dumbledore interrupted "By lucid dreaming, I assume you to mean that the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming?"

"Yes Albus. When the dreamer is lucid, he or she can actively participate in and manipulate the experiences in the dream environment." Sarah's cheeks colored briefly. "I think I've already shown myself capable of that." He nodded and indicated that she should continue.

"Another technique that I've started is to perform regular 'reality' checks while awake. This prepares the mind to recognize what is real. For example, I attempt to push my hand through a solid surface every hour. Obviously when I'm awake, I will not be able to do so. When I am asleep, if I succeed it will help me recognize I am dreaming."

"Thirdly is setting the mind before sleep through meditation; taking the mind deliberately from consciousness into the dream state where I engage all of the senses. For example, I can imagine walking through a garden and listening to the sounds, feeling the textures and smelling the scents around me."

"Lastly is self-hypnosis which starts with the same meditation exercises, but is more detailed and specific, such as descending a staircase and each step down brings me deeper into a relaxed trance state. At the bottom of the staircase, I can begin my auto suggestion script, such as "I will control and remember my dreams".

"And we all want you to _remember_ your dreams" Jareth said his voice heavily laced with innuendo.

Sarah snapped her eyes towards him and scowled. "Knock it off, Goblin King. I am not a toy. I am not here for your pleasure. Your seduction attempts are neither welcome nor wanted."

He smirked at successfully forcing her to acknowledge and respond to him. Pacing gracefully around the room, he moved noiselessly behind her. "Is it merely seduction Sarah? Can you not see what I truly want and offer?" He caressed her cheek with a tender touch and murmured silkily "You cannot say you are unaffected by me, Sarah. I hear your heartbeat race and feel you tremble when I am near."

An impassive mask dropped over her features, hiding the irritation that was evident a moment before. She stood and faced the tall immortal. "Well of course I'm attracted to you, Jareth" she replied. "Don't be dense. You're a bloody Fae, a member of the Seelie court, a mythical magical immortal creature designed to beguile and entrap mortal women." Sarah ignored the elegantly raised eyebrow at being classified as a 'creature'.

"Besides, I've always been attracted to tall, lean elegant older men. I don't object to a degree of arrogance _when it's_ _warranted_. I actually enjoy a sarcastic sense of humor. So yes, that applies to you." Before his smirk of triumph was fully on his lips, she continued. "But in case you haven't noticed, it also applies to thousands of other men…including the two other gentlemen in this room; both of whom are sexy as hell."

Dumbledore's eyes had been twinkling eyes at Sarah's comments to the Fae man, but now widened in surprise. Snape's face was a passive mask, his eyes flickering between the younger woman and the Fae king as he watched their interaction.

"Just because I find you attractive doesn't mean I imagine you as someone with whom I want a long-term relationship. What makes you think I _want_ what you have to offer? And what makes you think you would be able to keep me interested day after day intellectually?"

Jareth's eyes narrowed as he drew himself up and the arrogant Goblin King personae slipped over his features. Power gathered around him, but Sarah turned her back on him.

"If you would like more information on lucid dreaming or the meditation exercises that I am attempting, I would be delighted to print the information out for you Albus." Without waiting for a response she turned to the Potions Master. "And I would always appreciate discussion meditation techniques with you Severus. I only know what I've learned through my martial arts training and through my research. It would be helpful to discuss it with someone well-versed in the practice."

Wind inside the tightly closed room whipped her hair as she spoke, but she ignored it and focused on appearing unaffected. With an earsplitting crack of power, the Goblin King disappeared and the power coiled in the room disappeared. Only years of experience as both a teacher of a dangerous subject and as a spy permitted Snape the reflexes necessary to catch the young woman as she collapsed.

**_______________**

Jareth sat on his throne angrily twirling two crystals over and over in his hand. He was a monarch, the absolute sovereign of his kingdom. If he wanted something, he had only to reach out his hand to grasp it. He knew how to demand, manipulate and coerce others to ensure he achieved his goals.

He wanted Sarah Williams and viewed her as his, assuming it was only a matter of time until he claimed her. Any male foolish enough to attempt to court her in spite of his claim found himself on the receiving end of a visit of goblins or even by the Goblin King himself. Jareth smirked remembering how quickly each had capitulated.

He knew that Sarah defied his claim. Part of his attraction to her was because of her fire and stubbornness; he saw their relationship as a contest of wills that he would ultimately win. Once she admitted his claim and overcame her resistance to their mutual attraction, he had been certain that the contest would be over. It never occurred to him that she already acknowledged their shared attraction and considered it…irrelevant.

She didn't think he could keep her interested day after day? She had the cheek to imply that he wasn't exciting enough? She thought he wasn't sufficiently intelligent or an adequate conversationalist to keep an immature mortal girl engaged? Jareth growled; the crystals he manipulated in his hand rolled faster and faster as his irritation grew. "What makes you think that I _want_ what you have to offer?" How dare she?

"King mad at the Lady?" he heard one goblin ask another.

"Not sure" the other replied, glancing at the King and ducking his head to avoid being noticed. "Might be the Lady. Might be hisself. Think he's mad he has to court the Lady?"

He glared at the two gossipers and they scurried away before he could send them to the Bog. Ridiculous! He wasn't going to _court_ Sarah. He had already claimed her. He frowned and summoned another crystal, rolling it around his hand with the others. He wasn't going to demean himself to court her. She should be grateful he had shown an interest in her. He flung the crystals at the wall and felt a perverse satisfaction that the force was so great they were pulverized on impact.

With a growl he threw himself out of the chair and stalked towards the window. He jumped out and transformed to his owl form while free falling. He beat his wings strongly until he caught an air current and spiraled up above the Labyrinth, riding from one current to another. Blast the girl!

"_Of course, what is courtship but another game_" whispered his inner voice. "_It is another contest. If she surrenders to your charms, you have won._" He snapped his beak and would have smiled if he could. Of course, he would view it as only another challenge; her attempt to manipulate the competition between them, but escalating the stakes with her as the prize. "Devious girl" he thought with growing admiration. "Very well Sarah. If you want a courtship, you will get a courtship. But it will be on my terms."

***************


	14. An Unexpected Competition

**Chapter 14 – An Unexpected Competition**

"Sarah? Can you open your eyes, my dear?" The concerned voice slowly penetrated the darkness. "Severus, perhaps you should call for Poppy."

"I do not believe that will be necessary, Albus. Miss Williams appears to be coming around."

Sarah's eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks as she opened her eyes and tried to focus. The concerned face of Albus Dumbledore was looking down on her with the dark eyes of Severus Snape examining her over the Headmaster's shoulder. Her confused glance darted around the room until she identified that she was lying on a sofa in the Headmaster's office and suddenly remembered the confrontation with Jareth.

"Oh dear, what happened? Did I pass out? I'm so sorry Headmaster. I don't know what came over me. I've never fainted before." Her voice was weak even in her own ears.

Dumbledore patted her hand gently and smiled down at her. "I'm relieved to see that you are back with us, Sarah." He helped her to sit up and put a steadying hand on her shoulder as she swayed slightly.

Severus regarded her with an impassive face. "If you do not make a habit of swooning Miss Williams, what caused your reaction today?"

Sarah drew a deep breath and accepted the conjured glass of water that Dumbledore pressed into her hand, thanking him with a small smile before drinking. Feeling a little more clear-headed, she met the Potion Master's eyes and examined her own reaction.

"The Goblin King has been causing me to feel off balance and uncertain. I've been irritated at his manipulations, confused over the charming side he can show when he chooses and then angry with his assumptions. Perhaps the sudden withdrawal of the power he was radiating overwhelmed me." The young woman frowned in embarrassment.

"So it wasn't our 'sexy as hell' selves that caused the reaction" Severus deadpanned.

Sarah tensed as her eyes snapped up to his and then relaxed a bit as she saw a hint of humor in his dark eyes. She glanced at Dumbledore and was relieved to see the familiar twinkle back in his eyes. Even with the lack of anger or embarrassment on their faces, she felt a slight warming of her own cheeks at the sudden awkwardness. "I stand by my comments. Both of you are intelligent, compelling and have excellent senses of humor. Any woman would have to be comatose not to notice...or not interested in men."

Albus grinned. "Thank you my dear. You made this old man's day." Severus responded to the Headmaster's comment with an audible snort.

The young woman attempted to change the subject by asking "What do you make of the Goblin King's actions? What do you believe are his intentions?"

The two men exchanged a brief glance and Sarah's suspicions were confirmed. They knew something, darn them. She sipped her water and waited patiently for a response.

"You have had more experience with His Majesty, Sarah" Dumbledore replied. "How do you perceive his actions?"

Sarah barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Were you in Slytherin, Albus?" she asked instead. She raised an eyebrow at the Potions Master when he snorted again. Deciding to play along she replied "I originally thought he was after a form of revenge. I beat him at his own game and he doesn't like to lose. I assumed he wanted a chance to defeat me in some manner or otherwise re-establish his superiority over me."

She watched both men's faces closely as she talked, looking for a hint of their perceptions. Unfortunately, each of them seemed to be much too experienced at concealing their thoughts. "That may still be his intent, but he seems to be playing a deeper game now. He danced with me in the dream I shared with him and he gave me a crystal rose the last time he was here. He could be trying to assert his dominance through seduction. It would seem to fit with what I've read about Fae males."

Dumbledore smiled at her evaluation. "You don't believe he could be sincerely interested in pursuing a relationship with the only woman to ever best him?"

"I see no benefit to him, Albus. He is an immortal Fae, a king with immense power. I am a short-lived human; a woman trying to learn how to earn a living writing fantasy stories. He has nothing to gain from it other than a brief fling which he certainly won't be getting that from me."

She frowned and shook her head at the reticent men and stood in resignation. "You aren't helping, you know." Deciding they weren't going to be inveigled into sharing their thoughts, she returned to the earlier discussion. "Did you want me to give you any information on lucid dreaming, Albus, or would you just like me to keep you updated on the results?"

"Hmm, actually my dear, I think I would like you to discuss meditation techniques with Severus and then keep me informed of the results of all of your efforts."

"Of course, Albus" she said politely, ignoring Severus' scowl at the Headmaster.

After they left the Headmaster's office, the taciturn man said abruptly "When do you return to University?"

"I had planned to go back as soon as I finished marking the third year essays, probably another two hours. I still have a paper of my own to finish this weekend."

"Come to my office before you leave and we will discuss meditation techniques."

Sarah chuckled at his arrogant tone. "Why I would love to join you, Severus. How very kind of you to ask."

His lips twitched and quickly settled into his habitual sneer. "I will see you in another two hours then." He strode off with the predictable billowing of his robes.

Severus Snape reclined in his favorite reading chair as evening approached considered the events of the day. Sarah Williams had surprised him. Her research into methods of controlling her dream weaving abilities was comprehensive and detailed. The approach she had decided upon was well thought out and methodical. Their discussion of meditation techniques found similar ground and he was somewhat surprised that Muggle techniques were quite similar to the meditation used in training Occlumency.

He sipped his wine and considered the remainder of their conversation. Her request had surprised him, but he found himself not unwilling to consider it.

A sudden heaviness in the air alerted him moments before the crack of thunder and lightning occurred. He kept his hand on his wand, but did not draw it, instead merely raising an eyebrow at the Fae king now lounging against his fireplace.

Jareth examined the human with a frown. He was certainly tall and lean, but there the resemblance to the Fae ended. The human had shoulder length dark hair, a sallow complexion, matched dark eyes, and a large crooked nose. Although still reclining in his seat, he appeared poised to either strike or dodge which Jareth found both amusing and enlightening.

Compared to Jareth's Fae appeal, the human was no comparison physically. Yet somehow, Sarah found him attractive. This was not to be tolerated.

Relaxed against the fireplace, with one hand on the mantle, Jareth returned the man's probing look with a smirk. "Are you not going to offer me a glass of wine, Professor?"

With an impassive face, Severus waved a hand and another glass appeared. He levitated it to the Goblin King with a silent spell.

Jareth looked at the levitating glass for a moment as if curious whether the other man would let it drop, and then accepted it. He sipped it slowly, ignoring the Potions Master as he rolled the wine around his tongue.

"Mediocre at best, not an inspired flavor" he commented.

"Had I known Your Majesty intended to visit, I would have selected a wine more suited to your palate".

Holding the wine up to the light and looking at the clarity, Jareth commented "I believe I mentioned that I anticipate making Sarah Williams my Queen."

Severus took a sip of wine before responding indifferently. "You did."

Meeting the Potions Master's eyes, Jareth said coldly "I expect you to limit your interaction with my future Queen to only what is absolutely necessary for her position at this school."

Severus inspected his own wine in the light. "Is Your Majesty suggesting that you can only succeed with the lady in question if you have no competition, even the rivalry of an unattractive human?"

The Goblin King narrowed his eyes and regarded the Potions Master reclining comfortably in his chair with frigid contempt. "Do you dare to suggest a competition for the young lady's affection?"

Severus didn't bother to hide his sneer. "Not if Your Majesty is not up for the challenge."

The power radiating from the Fae increased to almost intolerable levels, making the human struggle for breath. A lesser man would have surrendered before the display, but Severus was used to bearing the torture of the _Cruciatis_ curse without sound and remained impassive in the face of the Goblin King's demonstration.

"Surely an immortal, powerful and striking Fae King would not be opposed to a greasy old bat like me attempting to court the same woman? Surely the competition doesn't worry you?"

After many long and uncomfortable moments, the energy decreased to bearable levels. "A competition?" The Fae swirled the wine in his glass slowly. "You may attempt to court her, Professor. However, I warn you…your attentions must be proper at all times. If you attempt to bed her, your life will be forfeit."

Severus allowed his lips to twitch into a smirk, although he had no doubt of the truth of that statement. "To the young lady" he said as he raised his glass.

Jareth raised his glass. "To my future Queen".

***************


	15. Retribution

**Chapter 15 – Retribution**

Sarah walked quietly through the desks, observing the fifth-year students as they took a quiz in the Muggle Studies class. Quills moved rapidly across the parchments, as the students filled out the essay questions where they had to explain, compare and describe the differences between the wizarding and muggle cultures.

Sarah paused behind Harry Potter's desk, observing as he wrote. The dream where his hand was being cut as Professor Umbridge looked on was still fresh in her mind, and she glanced at his hand to be sure there was nothing there. Her eyes widened as she saw barely healed marks on his hand and leading onto his arm. The sight made her nauseous and she fought to control her stomach.

"That vicious harpy is despicable" she thought heatedly. "I think she _enjoys_ being abusive." The young woman narrowed her eyes as she seethed in cold fury. She could not and would not tolerate this. She might not be a witch herself, but she would fight that harridan with everything at her disposal.

When the class was done, Sarah lingered by the door and stopped the Gryffindor teen before he left. "May I have a few minutes of your time, Mr. Potter?"

Harry looked surprised but agreed readily. Turning to his friends he said quietly "I'll catch up with you shortly."

Sarah waited until the other students had left and then looked to ensure that Charity was involved at her desk on the other side of the room. Speaking quietly she said "May I please see have your right hand, Mr. Potter?"

"Um…" The young man looked both surprised and uncomfortable, covering his right hand with his left.

Sarah held out her hand and waited patiently. Harry fidgeted and then reluctantly laid his hand in hers, palm up. Sarah turned it over and moved his sleeve out of the way to expose the cuts on his hand and arm.

"Mr. Potter, do you believe that either the Headmaster or your House Head would approve of a student being tortured?"

The dark-haired teen looked at her in surprise at her categorization. "This goes beyond House prejudice and a biased awarding or deducting of points, Mr. Potter. Do you somehow believe that physical abuse is acceptable here at Hogwarts? Would you want this to occur to Miss Granger?"

Harry's eyes widened and he looked horrified. "No! That would be awful!"

"Then why do you think it's acceptable if it happens to you?" The teen didn't respond and dropped his eyes, reclaiming his hand and rubbing his left hand over his right. "Abuse is never acceptable, Mr. Potter. I can assure you that both Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall would be appalled and furious if they knew that a member of the staff was mistreating a student in this way."

Harry shifted uneasily, but didn't comment. Sarah took her hand and raised his chin until he looked at her. "Mr. Potter, you do not deserve to be injured. There is nothing right or honorable in this behavior…either towards you _or your response to it_." Harry looked surprised at the later comment. "I want you to show this to Professor McGonagall today and then I want you to see Madame Pomfrey in the infirmary to get it healed before it scars."

"Miss Williams, I…."

Sarah whispered intently "You are not alone, Mr. Potter. You do not need to bear the weight of the world's wrongs on your shoulders. There is nothing noble about suffering in silence when you have nothing to gain from it. You are not protecting anyone with your silence. In fact, silence implies consent in many situations. If the person torturing you has no consequences, how do you know they won't torture other students in the same way?"

Harry looked at her with troubled eyes. He hadn't considered that his silence could jeopardize other students.

"I expect you to speak to Professor McGonagall today. If you are uncomfortable with the discussion, then begin by asking her whether quills that draw blood from the bearer are common and acceptable. I believe her response will encourage you to continue the conversation."

She looked him firmly in the eye and stated again "You are not alone, Mr. Potter. I want you to remember that."

The teen took a deep breath. "OK, Miss Williams. I…I will speak to Professor McGonagall." He seemed both unnerved and relieved with the decision.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. Hurry along to your next class."

The teen gave her an uncertain smile. "Thank you, Miss Williams." He hesitated and then left the room quickly.

"Sarah is something wrong?" asked Charity once Harry left. She had noticed the intense whispered conversation Sarah had with young Harry Potter and was concerned with the anxiety on her assistant's features.

"Charity, what do you know about a quill that draws blood from the person holding it?"

Charity's eyes widened. "I vaguely recall there being some type of dark curse that could be placed on a quill. Why do you ask?"

"I have reason to believe that Professor Umbridge is having one or more of her students use that type of quill in their detentions."

Charity swallowed hard and looked disgusted. "Sarah, if that is true, the Headmaster has to be informed."

Sarah looked at her uncertainly. "There are games being played that I don't understand, Charity. The Muggle world has seen what happens in a totalitarian state where the people have virtually no authority and the government holds absolute control. We've seen the Nazis in Germany, Stalin in the U.S.S.R., China under Mao Zedong, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. People die. And your Ministry of Magic selected and sent that woman here. Surely they had some type of idea as to her character?"

"Sarah, take a deep breath. It's not that bad."

"I hope not, Charity. My fear is that the Headmaster may not be able to protect the students."

The arrival of students for the next class signaled an end to the discussion, but Sarah was left with a very uneasy feeling for the remainder of the day.

At dinner that evening, the Headmaster looked bleak while Professor McGonagall sat stiffly with barely controlled anger. When Professor Umbridge did not make an appearance, Sarah hoped that was a good sign.

Charity was unwilling to sit quietly and probed for more information. "I don't see Professor Umbridge this evening" she said casually.

"She had a previous engagement away from Hogwarts" Dumbledore responded gravely. "I am looking forward to speaking with her when she returns."

"As am I" Professor McGonagall said acidly.

Sarah glanced over at the Gryffindor table and was relieved to see Harry with his two friends eating and talking. At least retribution hadn't fallen on him, she thought.

Later in the evening, Sarah called both Grep and Broul to her. "Would you like to have some fun and do me a favor at the same time" she asked them.

The goblins eyed each other and then nodded. Broul answered for them both saying "Sure Lady, what kind of fun?"

"Have you seen the female teacher that wears all pink?"

Grep grimaced and nodded.

"I would like every quill in her office and quarters to be broken into itsy bitsy pieces. Without you getting caught of course. And if you happened to spill some water from the Bog of Eternal Stench on her clothes, I wouldn't be upset. If you have other games you would like to play, of course you should feel free to do so."

Broul and Grep exchanged looks again, this time showing their pointed little teeth. Bog a human? Now that sounded like fun!

"OK Lady! We can do that!" They popped out of her room with gleeful anticipation.

When Sarah lay down on the bed, consciously relaxing her muscles in meditation, she focused her thoughts carefully. "Delores Umbridge. I will dream of Delores Umbridge. I will dream of Delores Umbridge." She repeated it several dozen times, until it was the only thought in her mind as she let herself drift off to sleep.

Once she reached REM sleep, Sarah found herself in a Hogwarts hallway facing the door of what appeared to be staff quarters. Resolute, she moved through the door. The quarters were decorated in typical elderly maiden aunt furnishings with frilly chintzes, lacey doilies, and an abundance of pink. Additional doors were across the room and she stalked through the first. She smiled grimly to find herself in a bed chamber looking down at the repugnant form of Delores Umbridge.

The woman lay on her back snoring loudly. As Sarah watched, the shrew's closed eyes began moving rapidly back and forth. "That's it Delores. Dream for me" Sarah whispered. The room began to dissolve and then reformed.

Delores sat behind a very large desk with scores of tiny students spread out before her. They were all working quietly, apparently writing the same lines in perfect synchrony. "Perfect" Sarah thought. She focused intently, and the quills in the first row of student's hands rose up and flew towards Umbridge. Their colors darkened to a deep blood red as they advanced on the toad-faced tyrant.

Umbridge appeared to ignore them, although a slight puzzled expression appeared on her pudgy face.

As the quills reached her, she swatted at them irritably but they easily avoided her hands and cut deeply into her skin. With a yelp, she jumped out of her chair and backed away from the quills which pursued her, stalking her relentlessly. Every time one came close enough, it cut into her chest. She batted at them ineffectively, then pulled out a wand and attempted to cast on them. The quills ignored every movement she made.

Eventually she fell whimpering on her stomach, but the quills began cutting in to her back gradually revealing a pattern in the cuts. "For every stripe that cuts into a student, a cut will be made into you, Delores Umbridge" Sarah intoned as the word "SADIST" was spelled out. Umbridge abruptly faded away, and Sarah knew she must have woken up.

Sarah did not see Professor Umbridge the following day until the regular staff meeting in the Teacher's Lounge before dinner. The older woman's face was pinched and pale; she appeared nervous and reached her hand up to rub her chest several times. Sarah noticed that the one time she leaned into her chair; she quickly sat up straight, keeping her back away from the chair. The younger woman's lips smirked into her teacup and looked away.

At the end of the meeting, Dumbledore asked all House Heads to remain for a few minutes. Umbridge left the room quickly after the meeting before anyone else had even stood up. As Sarah gathered her papers, the Headmaster said mildly "Will you come see me after dinner, Sarah?"

"Of course, Headmaster" she responded politely smiling before exiting. Dumbledore watched her leave with a slightly preoccupied expression on his face.

_______________

Sarah followed the Headmaster to his office after dinner and at his invitation sat gracefully down in the chair before his desk.

Dumbledore gazed at the young Muggle somberly. "Sarah, what do you know about Harry Potter?"

"Mr. Potter is a fifth year student and attends the Muggle Studies class. He is a reasonably good student. He appears to be good friends with Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger."

The older man leaned forward and steepled his fingers, nodding once to encourage her to continue.

"The boy seems to believe he has to bear the weight of the whole world on his narrow shoulders. He is targeted by several of the other students for malicious pranks, suffering that and other indignities in silence." She narrowed her eyes and looked the Headmaster squarely. "That implies a lack of trust in the school staff and leadership, which concerns me. For some reason, he doesn't believe the staff will protect him or keep him safe from harm."

"Did you use your dream weaving abilities to attempt to keep the boy safe?"

"Albus! I have been carefully meditating and using the lucid dreaming techniques we discussed to ensure I don't _inadvertently_ trespass on others dreams."

"Yes, Severus was impressed with your research and methodical approach." He continued to gaze at her over his fingers and then sighed heavily when she added nothing else. "I am troubled that Harry thought he had to endure abuse quietly. I understand that you convinced the boy to talk to Minerva."

"Yes sir. I let him know that he was not alone and that his House Head would be appalled to learn that a student was being _tortured_ at Hogwarts."

The older man closed his eyes briefly as if in pain at her terminology. "Quite right, Sarah. Please be sure to continue with your control exercises. It would be…unfortunate…if you inadvertently caused waking consequences while in the dream state."

"Of course, Headmaster. I have no desire to let the innocent suffer due to my abilities."

"Excellent, my dear. I will let you return to your studies and meditation then."

As Sarah reached the door, Albus added quietly "Sarah, you do understand that future consequences towards Professor Umbridge belong to me?" The power that swept through the room was strong enough to lift her hair from her head and flutter her teaching robes.

Sarah swallowed hard at the reminder that the kindly grandfather personae belonged to one of the most potent wizards alive. "Yes, Headmaster."

Albus smiled benevolently. "Then good night, my dear." His smile continued long after the door closed behind the young woman.

***************


	16. What Will We Do For Halloween?

**Chapter 16 – What Will We Do For Halloween?**

Sarah woke up early on Friday morning, smiling at being in her Hogwarts staff quarters. Although she used the portkey to return to Royal Holloway after dinner Monday through Wednesday, she had no University classes on Friday, so stayed at Hogwarts Thursday through mid-day Sunday.

She checked the time and saw it was before six o'clock. That should give her plenty of time for her exercises and a shower before breakfast. Broul grumbled from the drawer he slept in as she quietly dressed, but joined her when she left the room. Ninety minutes later, she arrived at the Great Hall for an early breakfast, joining Severus Snape as the only other staff member present.

She greeted him with a smile and a cheery "Good morning Severus".

The Potions Master did not raise his eyes from his paper, only grunting "Hmph" as he sipped his tea.

Sarah chuckled and applied herself to her own breakfast as it appeared in front of her. Midway through her meal, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall joined them and Sarah greeted them just as cheerfully as she had Severus.

"Good morning Sarah, Severus" the Headmaster responded readily.

"Albus, does the school celebrate Halloween or All Hallow's Eve? I wanted to know whether I should plan to be in attendance as a chaperone for any activities."

"You must be practicing divination, Sarah" Dumbledore responded happily. "I was going to bring it up at the next staff meeting. I was thinking it would be most enjoyable to hold a masquerade ball, and I believe the staff should participate in the fancy dress aspect."

The newspaper lowered to her right and black eyes glared fiercely at the Headmaster. "Albus, please tell me you are not seriously suggesting that the professors and House Heads play dress up."

Sarah grinned impudently at Severus. "Just think of all the misbehavior you could discover if the students didn't realize just who was approaching them."

Severus growled and disappeared behind the newspaper again.

Sarah turned to Minerva as the older woman buttered her toast. "Tell me Minerva, how do young people celebrate Halloween in this area? Are there particular customs about which I should know?"

"These days, it consists chiefly of children going door to door "guising" Sarah. The children dress up and offer entertainment in return for gifts or treats."

Sarah smiled "Not that different from trick-or-treating in the U.S. then. Do you have balls for the students very often?"

"There is usually a Yule Ball and the Headmaster seems to be rather fond of Valentine's Day balls as well" the older woman responded. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at Minerva's long-suffering tone.

"Do wizarding children learn ballroom dancing as they grow up? I know I was very uncomfortable attending dances as a teenager. I was fortunate enough to win a half a dozen dance lessons from a radio contest in my Junior year which helped tremendously, but before then, I just shuffled around the floor hoping my partner wouldn't notice."

Severus lowered his newspaper and said silkily "If you are so concerned with the student's expertise, perhaps you should offer lessons, Miss Williams."

"That is an excellent idea, Severus" the Headmaster said approvingly. "Since you had the benefit of professional lessons and understand the student perspective, would you consider coordinating evening or weekend lessons before the Masquerade, Sarah?"

Sarah glowered at the Potions Master who smirked in return and said "A _Slytherin_ would know better than to suggest something that could return to haunt them, unless of course, they wanted someone else to volunteer their services for them."

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to the Headmaster. "I would be delighted to help, Albus. I will also post asking that any students skilled in dancing who would like to assist would be welcome. Perhaps some of the more talented students that earn a detention might be persuaded to help in the lessons as their penalty?"

Minerva looked thoughtful and said "Mr. Malfoy is scheduled for detention with me. I am certain he has abilities in that arena. I will assign him that duty with the understanding that you will decide whether he sincerely made an effort or not Sarah. If you are not satisfied with his performance, then he will be required to serve with Mr. Filch."

When Sarah returned to her University dorm room that Sunday, she powered up her laptop and created a large announcement and sign-up sheet, complete with graphics of couples dancing. Her color printer made the sheets eye-catching and professional. She planned two sessions for the evenings and one for the weekend, dedicating one waltzes and foxtrots, one rumba and samba, and one for swing. The announcement also requested that any experienced ballroom dancers willing to assist with the class contact Miss Williams.

Sarah posted the dance lesson announcement when she returned the following day, attaching it on the message board outside of the Great Hall next to the message about the Masquerade Ball. The colorful poster caught the attention of students filing in to dinner, and it became a topic of conversation over the evening meal.

She watched over the next week as the signups slowly increased. The waltz-foxtrot class had close to 30 signups, while the rumba-samba had a less than two dozen. The swing class didn't look as popular with just over a dozen who expressed an interest by the end of the first week.

No one was surprised when two Hufflepuff students volunteered to help their classmates learn a needed skill. Sarah was pleased that with Rose Zeller and Owen Caudwell, she had assistants of each gender. Expecting more young ladies than young men, she was happy that in addition to Draco Malfoy, she also had Ken Towler from Gryffindor who accepted assisting with dance lessons over cleaning the Owlry with a toothbrush under the auspices of Mr. Filch.

On the evening of the first class, Sarah walked into the room and was pleased to see a couple of dozen students waiting. She laid her iPod and speaker dock on the ground near the wall and smiled at the curiosity the students displayed in the Muggle technology. Her smile became a grin as she positioned the printed footsteps she had printed out on the floor in the back where everyone could see the step progression. Rose Zeller kindly attached them to the floor with a sticking charm.

"Good evening everyone. I'm Sarah Williams, assisting Professor Burbage with the Muggle Studies class. Everyone stretch your muscles for a few minutes before we get started."

As the students hesitantly moved through the stretching motions that she demonstrated, Sarah continued. "If you are a Quidditch player, I want you to consider this evening an opportunity to learn a new play and strategy. Slytherins, this is your chance to use the evening to make alliances and further your plans. Ravenclaws, consider the beats, measures and coordinated footwork as part of an overall equation to be solved. Hufflepuffs, this is your opportunity to show your compassion and loyalty to others as you learn and invite your friends to dance. And Gryffindors, how brave are you really? Surely you're not afraid to get out on the dance floor?" She chuckled as the students grinned at one another.

"Tonight, Miss Zeller and Misters Caudwell, Malfoy and Towler will be assisting in the lessons. Which of you is most comfortable with a waltz and being the center of attention?" Sarah called. "That would likely be me, Miss Williams" drawled Draco Malfoy. "Excellent Mr. Malfoy. Please join me."

Draco stepped forward with an arrogant sneer on his face. In a quiet voice, Sarah explained her approach to him. "We will walk through the steps in slow motion once or twice, and then put on the music Mr. Malfoy. Please pause on each beat for me to describe the movement our first time through." Draco rolled his eyes, but nodded curtly in acknowledgement.

"All right everyone, all eyes on Mr. Malfoy and me." The nervous chatter in the room died down quickly. "Gentlemen or leaders, right hand _lightly_ on your partner's waist, slightly around the back. Extend your left hand, elbow bent and palm raised. Ladies or followers, your left hand on your partner's right shoulder, elbow slightly bent. Right hand in his left, again the operative word is lightly. You're not arm wrestling." She and Draco demonstrated the appropriate hand locations.

"We'll be talking about six beats in the music; each beat has a minor movement. You can either confine your steps to the shape of a box or forward-right-forward-left to glide around the floor. Mr. Malfoy, let's start with the box shape, please."

"On the first beat, gentlemen you will simply step forward with your left foot. Ladies you will do the opposite, in this case, stepping back with your right foot."

"On the next beat, gentlemen you step forward and to the right with your right foot. Trace an upside-down letter L in the air with your foot as you do this. Now, shift the weight to your right foot, holding the left in place."

"On the third beat, slide your left foot over to your right and stand with your feet together, then on the fourth beat, step back with your right foot." Sarah was relatively surprised that Draco was doing everything properly and not attempting to sabotage the training. Perhaps he sincerely enjoyed dancing? Looking at his bored face, she decided he simply wanted the evening over with quickly.

"It's the fifth beat, so step back and to the left with your left foot, this time tracing a backward L and shift the weight to your left foot."

"We're on the final beat men, so slide your right foot toward your left until your feet are together. Congratulations! That's it! You've done the box step in a waltz. Now you're ready to start over and all you need to do is repeat those steps."

"Regarding dancing etiquette, it is expected that you will dance the first and last dance with your escort. It is normal to accept any invitation to dance, unless you don't know the dance, are resting or you promised the dance to someone else. If you decline a dance, it is polite to offer a later dance and not accept an invitation from another person during that dance."

"For both the ladies and gentleman, regarding what you do with your hands, I want you to answer this question. Would you touch your mother or father that way if she or he was your partner? If not, you shouldn't touch your dance partner that way." Sarah hid a grin at the shock and disgust on several faces; they must have been looking forward to groping their partner. "Finally, always thank your partner after the dance is over."

"Now, if you would like to request a partner and practice as Mr. Malfoy and I go through it again, please feel free. In fact, Mr. Malfoy, would you please demonstrate how a gentleman requests a dance?"

Draco's eyes showed a brief struggle but his purebred manners superseded his dislike of the Muggle Assistant. With a slight bow, he said civilly "Miss Williams, may I have the pleasure of this dance?" Sarah surprised him with a warm smile and dropped a curtsey equal to his bow. "It would be my pleasure, Mr. Malfoy."

Sarah waited for the couples to pair up and then repeated the instructions for placement of the hands. Once everyone was situated, she and Draco moved through the steps again. Some of the dancers seemed to have difficulty between their right and left, and some ladies wanted to lead causing her to say "Remember ladies, you are mirroring your partner. He steps forward, you step back. He steps right, you step left."

After everyone made it through the first steps, Sarah paused and turned on her iPod. The first strains of the "Blue Danube" waltz floated through the room. She returned to Draco, who bowed and moved closer, lightly resting his right hand on her waist and offering her his left hand.

As the music pulsed, Sarah continued to call out instructions. "Leaders, left foot forward and partners step back. Step forward with left, step forward and to the right. Shift your weight to your right foot, slide your left foot over to the right and stand with your feet together. Now, step back with your right. We're almost done…step back and to the left with your left foot, this time tracing a backward L and shift the weight to your left foot and for the last beat, slide your right foot forward until your feet are together again. Now you just repeat those steps until the song ends."

Sarah stopped describing the steps and let Draco lead. Looking forward to embarrassing the young Muggle woman, he ceased using the box step and moved into the forward glide without notice. Sarah followed his lead without missing a beat. With that forewarning, she wasn't surprised when he began adding rotations into the dance and was pleased that she followed his movements with no hesitation. They circled the floor, moving around the other couples effortlessly.

When the music ended, she called out "Gentlemen, escort your partner back to his or her seat and don't forget to thank one another." Draco extended his arm in an exaggerated courtly manner, but Sarah simply laid her hand on his arm lightly and smiled graciously as he escorted her to the side.

As the first strains of the next waltz drifted in the air, Sarah called out "Assistants, please find a new partner. Mr. Crabbe, may I have the honor of this dance?" The thickset Slytherin grunted in surprise, looking at Malfoy as if for instruction. Draco smirked and nodded, curious what the Muggle woman would do with the dense teen.

"Your left hand on my waist, Mr. Crabbe and your right hand up." Sarah laid her right hand on his shoulder and placed her hand in his. "Lightly Mr. Crabbe, no need to crush my bones" she chuckled. She waited to see if he would move and when he stared at her dumbly, she smiled at him. "You are leading, Mr. Crabbe. All you need to do is step out with your left foot."

Once he started moving, Sarah was surprised to discover that Vincent Crabbe knew the steps. He wasn't particularly graceful, but he was methodical. She smiled encouragingly at him, but he looked anywhere but at her face. When the dance was done, she thanked him and chuckled as he hurriedly walked away. "Don't forget to thank your partner and escort them off the floor" she reminded the students.

In between dances, she mentioned that it was helpful to occasionally speak to your partner. Her next partner, Ron Weasley stared at his feet and audibly counted the beats. When he realized he should say something, he looked at her with wide eyes as he struggled for a topic. Taking pity on him, she said for everyone's benefit "You may ask your partner if they are enjoying the dance or ask what they think of the decorations or music. You may ask how whether they enjoy the holiday and how they used to celebrate as children. If your partner is a relative stranger, you might ask about their favorite class, favorite type of music, favorite sport or favorite book."

Ron stared at her as she ended her spiel and then blurted "how did you celebrate Halloween when you were young, Miss Williams? Err…not that you're old…I mean…" A blush started up his face competing in color with his red hair.

Sarah grinned at him. "I loved dressing up in unusual costumes, Mr. Weasley. I enjoyed being a medieval princess or fairy or even a witch." She chuckled at the idea of Muggles dressing as witches. "In my neighborhood, children went trick-or-treating which simply meant neighbors gave children treats to avoid being the recipient of tricks."

That got his attention. "What kind of tricks would Muggles do?" He couldn't imagine it being as inventive as Fred and George.

"Nothing mean-spirited was permitted. Something like throwing rolls of TP over trees, tying a spool of threat to a window so that it banged in the wind or drawing pictures in wax on their windows or cars. Most families always had candy ready, because they liked seeing the kids in their costumes." She smiled at him as he became interested and forgot to stare at his feet and keep count of the beats, moving automatically through the movements.

By the end of the evening, they had practiced waltzing and the comparable foxtrot. The students seemed to enjoy it or were at least grateful that they wouldn't be embarrassed at the Masquerade. She excused the students and thanked everyone serving their detention, letting them know she would validate their participation with their professors. She was surprised at the number of students that were discussing signing up for the other lessons after feeling successful with this one evening.

Sarah was collecting her footstep prints and her music equipment when the lights lowered and music began playing from a source other than her iPod. At first she thought one of the students had returned and cast a music spell, when she suddenly felt the pressure shift she associated with the Goblin King. Taking a deep breath, greeted him impassively. "Good evening, Jareth".

A warm and silky voice answered. "Good evening Precious Thing. I must admit, I was feeling jealous of the students that had the opportunity to hold you in their arms this evening." He stepped out of the shadows, immaculately dressed in black leather boots and pants, a black silk shirt, and a black and silver embroidered vest.

She stood unmoving as he approached, bowed and then offered her his hand along with a charming smile. "May I have the pleasure of this dance, Sarah?" When she hesitated, he said with a smirk "I believe it is customary to accept any invitation to dance, unless you do not know the dance, are resting or you promised it to someone else".

She chuckled in acknowledgement of her own words to her students and placed her hand in his. His smile lit his eyes with warmth as his hand curled around her waist. As he touched her, her clothing flickered. She looked down and realized she was now in a richly shimmering nutmeg colored strapless ball gown in with a corseted bodice and a full skirt embellished with crystals.

The handsome Fae moved closer and she inhaled his scent... leather and spices and masculinity. If they bottled his scent, it could sell as an aphrodisiac she thought. She felt comfortable in his arms, both contented and exhilarated.

The steps she taught her students were too mundane for him. He glided gracefully across the floor adding in flourishes and rotations, never taking his captivating eyes from hers. She followed the slight pressure on her waist, mirroring his steps while trying not to let him see how his nearness and masculine scent affected her. His shoulder was strong under her hand; his lean form was elegant and poised as he led her around the room. The warmth of his eyes and the slight smile, as if sharing amusement at his own beguilement, kept her hypnotized in his arms.

Sarah didn't know how long the music played; time had no meaning as she was held in his embrace. Eventually, she realized that they had stopped moving and were simply standing in one another's arms reveling in the nearness of the other. Jareth took a deep breath and took a half step back although he didn't release her. He took her hand and brushed his lips across her fingers.

"Thank you, Precious. While dancing with you is delightful in my dreams, it pales next to the reality of holding you close."

"Jareth…" Sarah's voice was soft. She was surprised to feel him shiver lightly as her lips caressed his name. "What do you want with me? Why are you charming and romantic one moment and then manipulative and demanding the next?"

He smiled slowly. "Perhaps I am seeking the approach that most intrigues you, Sarah." He kissed the hand he still held. "Good night and sweet dreams, Precious."

He stepped back from her, dropping her hands. "I fear the way you say my name will keep me quite awake tonight." With another step, he disappeared into the shadows.

***************


	17. Of Kings and Moonlight

**Chapter 17 – Of Kings and Moonlight**

After several days of not seeing Delores Umbridge at the staff tables for meals, Sarah asked Charity Burbage about her at breakfast on Friday morning. She was surprised to see the older woman's eyes narrow and a look of antipathy cross her features.

"Professor Umbridge is currently taking her meals in her quarters and is limiting her contact with students to class room lectures."

Sarah was pleased that she was no longer terrorizing the students, but then thought about how Charity had phrased her comments. "She's limiting her interaction to lecture only? What about the practical application of her class? I thought the seventh year students had both written and practical tests they had to pass? Isn't that what you told me the N.E.W.T.'s were?"

Charity smiled at how the young Muggle picked up on the Wizarding education system so well. "The Headmaster and several of the professors are going to form an extracurricular dueling society that will allow the students to practice their spells under the scrutiny of qualified instructors."

Satisfied that the odious harpy would no longer be tormenting her students, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like things might work out for everyone after all.

From a few seats down, Professor Dumbledore caught her eye and asked "How was your first dance lesson, Sarah?"

"It went very well, thank you Albus. The two boys on detention both performed very well, and the volunteer assistants were splendid. The students seemed to enjoy it once they got over their nervousness."

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled at her and she was sure he was pleased with her. "What is the subject of your next class?"

She smiled back at him. "The rumba and samba, with swing steps being the last of the three sessions."

Minerva McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "The rumba and samba? For teenagers? Are you certain that's…wise, Sarah?"

Sarah grinned at the older woman. "Teenage hormones are going to be running rampant regardless of the dance, Minerva. I'm just going to suggest a more appropriate way of spending their energy than huddled in the first alcove or closet they find." She ignored the audible snort coming from the Potions Master to her right.

Charity began a conversation with Minerva, so Sarah turned to Severus. "Have you decided on your costume for the Masquerade yet?"

Severus set his teacup down and frowned at the reminder. In a disdainful voice and a look aimed at the Headmaster he said "I believe I will come as a Potions Master".

"Perhaps I could offer some other suggestions" Sarah said optimistically. "I can probably think of some that you might not object to, that will protect your reputation and dignity while giving you the ability to walk undetected among all the rule-breakers."

He regarded her with a frosty glare. "I sincerely doubt it" he said standing and walking away to his first class, his robes seeming to catch a nonexistent breeze.

Charity looked after the Potions Master. "I wish I knew just how he made his robes billow like that." Her voice seemed a bit wistful.

"Don't we all" responded Minerva. "I've been trying to get my robes to swirl like that for years."

_______________

Sarah entered the teacher's lounge after her morning class, prepared to enjoy a cup of tea and mark the student's homework. She nodded politely to Professor Sinistra as the other woman left the room, then poured herself a cup from the charmed teapot. It had been a delight to discover the teapot was always full and always warm with the tea perfectly prepared. She sat down, sipped her tea and sighed in contentment before pulling the first parchment forward to mark.

A marked increase in the intensity of the energy of the room made her pause and look up. "Jareth?"

He appeared in the room just as she said his name and gave her a warm look while bowing elegantly. "Good afternoon Sarah. I hope I am not intruding?"

"Would it matter if you were?" she asked archly.

A small smirk played around his lips. "Perhaps. It would depend upon what I was intruding." He looked at the stack of parchment papers. "Surely you can spare an old acquaintance a few moments?"

Sarah sighed and leaned back in her chair. She wouldn't get any work done until he had his say, she was certain. With obvious reluctance she asked "What brings you here today, Goblin King?"

He sat on the corner of her desk and tilted his head. "Jareth. I much prefer when you call me Jareth."

In a slightly softer tone she repeated "What brings you here today, _Jareth_." She drawled over the two syllables and he involuntarily half-closed his eyes as if on the receiving end of a caress.

Opening his eyes, he smiled engagingly at her. "I came to ask if you would give me the pleasure of your company one evening, Sarah. Perhaps a moonlit sail under the stars while the weather is still warm enough?"

Startled, she scanned his face only to become caught in the compelling yet gentle gaze he leveled on her. She swallowed once. "You're asking me on a date?"

He leaned forward across the desk, separating the distance between them and spoke barely above a whisper. "Such an inadequate word, Precious. I was thinking more of a tryst, a rendezvous…" He smiled seductively, the warmth lighting his eyes. "…a tête-à-tête. A warm breeze caressing us, a boat gliding silently over the water, the moon and stars above us." He held out a hand encouragingly. "Will you give me the honor of your company, Sarah?"

Sarah swallowed again and tried to be sure her voice was steady before answering. "That…that sounds quite nice, thank you. When did you have in mind?" She realized her hand was in his and wondered when she placed it there.

His smile widened at her response. "Tomorrow night, Precious?" At her silent nod, he lifted her hand and kissed it gently. "Until then, Sarah." He disappeared in a small thunderclap.

She drew a shaky breath. "Oh he's good" she muttered. "He's very very good. I'm in so much trouble." She sat at the desk with the parchments unmarked around her for quite some time.

_______________

"A _Slytherin_ would know better, eh Severus Snape?" Sarah muttered to herself as she headed to the library after dinner. She was determined to learn more on her own and surprise the man.

Sarah walked quietly to the Librarian's desk and waited silently until the woman raised her head and acknowledged her. "Good morning, Madame Pince" she said softly. "What book would you recommend for an ignorant Muggle that explains the House system and the dominant traits of each house?"

Madame Pince frowned momentarily. "Hogwarts: A History by Chroniculus Punnet. Reference section, third aisle, left side, fourth shelf from the bottom." She accepted the young woman's whispered "Thank you" and walked quietly away. A good girl that one, she thought. Always quiet and treated books properly, unlike many of the students. She glared around the library, causing any student whose eye she met to cringe.

Sarah found the large book and brought it to a nearby table. She remembered Dumbledore giving her basic information about the founding of the school the first time she visited Hogwarts. Now she discovered that the founders originally hand-selected the students for their houses.

Godric Gryffindor valued students who demonstrated that they were brave, bold and chivalrous. Helga Hufflepuff favored students what were just, loyal, patient and hard-working. Rowena Ravenclaw sought out students that were clever and prone to learning, observing and analyzing the world around them. Salazar Slytherin preferred students that were resourceful, ambitious, determined and cunning.

Sarah frowned; she was obviously not going to learn much this way. She looked over the reference shelves. "_Notable Magical Names of Our Time_" might be helpful. She scanned through it, writing down the names of those that were noted as being in Slytherin at Hogwarts. With the list of names, she returned to the Librarian's Desk and waited silently for the older woman to acknowledge her.

Showing the Librarian the list, she asked "May I review your catalogue to determine whether any of these people were authors?"

Madame Pince reviewed the list and gazed dourly at the young Muggle woman. "All of these names belonged to a single Hogwarts House. Are you looking for anything written by Slytherin authors or are you researching a particular topic?"

Sarah beamed a smile at the Librarian's perceptiveness. "I am trying to discern the behaviors and attributes that seem to be taught, encouraged or enhanced by the Slytherin House."

The Librarian pursed her lips, considering. "Behavioral Studies section, second aisle, right side, bottom shelf. "House Loyalties" by Blenheim Stalk." She accepted Sarah's brilliant smile with a curt nod, and returned to her work.

After several minutes, Sarah found the book and sat down to read it. It was a fascinating description of the House System used not only at Hogwarts, but at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute, and the Salem Witches' Institute. Sarah grinned at the idea of a witch's school in Salem Massachusetts. As she read through the book, she noticed references to several recent events and noted the sources that were referenced. Realizing that the library would close soon, she went looking for "_Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_" and "_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_". With the three books in hand, she checked out the three books, thanking the Librarian for her help.

Back in her room she chatted with Grep and Broul for a while. She was worried that they would feel she had been ignoring them with so much happening.

"No Lady, big castle. Many many things to explore" said Grep seriously.

"Many many people to trick" added Broul mischievously.

"Oh dear, what kind of tricks are you playing? You know these are magical folks. They might have spells to catch and capture you."

Grep and Broul hastened to explain, tumbling over each other sentences in their excitement.

"Best tricks are on the toady woman…"

"…just one drop of water from the Bog of Eternal Stench…"

"…every few days…"

"…on a different item…"

"…out of the way item…"

"…very weak human magic on that one…"

"…we pass through wards quietly…"

"…she never knows we're there…"

Sarah soon learned that either the woman's wards were either so weak or unused to goblin magic, that the goblins entered undetected. Once Umbridge found and incinerated one reeking item, they tagged another. She shook her head at their mischievousness, but they were confident they would not get caught.

Sitting in bed, she read through Blenheim Stalk's perceptions of Slytherins. Apparently, subtlety was highly valued as was misdirection; strategies involving layers of plots and designs seemed to be their trademark. They mocked Gryffindors for rushing boldly in immediately rather than developing primary and backup plans and getting reinforcements. They found Hufflepuffs too emotional and dedicated to fair play, but seemed to have a higher tolerance of Ravenclaw cunning and analyses.

Sarah sat back and thought about Stalk's characterizations in light of what she knew about Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick and Severus Snape. To her surprise, she thought she found characteristics of each house in the current House Heads. Minerva had the intelligence of a Ravenclaw, the loyalty of a Hufflepuff and the determination of a Slytherin. Pomona was as brilliant as a Ravenclaw with Herbology, resourceful as a Slytherin, and anyone who dealt with as many deadly plants as she did had the courage of a Gryffindor. Seeing as how few little people she had seen in the wizarding world, Sarah had to believe that Filius had demonstrated bravery, resourcefulness and determination in being so successful. And she had read in "_Notable Magical Names of Our Time_" that Severus was the youngest Potions Master ever. What intelligence that demonstrated! Besides, he was extremely loyal to his students.

She decided to let the thoughts about the House characteristics percolate in her mind and turned to "_Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_". That would help fill her in on basic wizarding history that every school child likely knew.

However, her thoughts began to turn to another magical being and their…tryst…the following evening. What had she been thinking, she wondered. What was he _really_ after? Perhaps this was a subtle scheme on his part; get the human to fall in love with him and exact his revenge for his earlier defeat by subsequently repudiating her. She wouldn't put it past him.

So…the _Slytherin_ thing to do would be…she drifted off to sleep while shifting through various plots and designs calculated to keep her heart safe while dealing with the Goblin King.

***************


	18. Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts

**Chapter 18 – Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts**

Sarah smiled as the warm early morning sun caressed her face as she sat on a stone bench in the garden. If the unseasonably temperate weather held, it would be a lovely evening for a boat ride. She resolutely turned her thoughts away from her upcoming…tryst…with the Goblin King and returned to her book.

"_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_" was an especially enlightening book. Not only was it an excellent history about what wizards called the Dark Arts, but it gave a detailed account of recent history. Sarah was surprised to learn that less than twenty years ago, there had been a huge war in the wizarding world when one self-proclaimed Lord Voldemort had gathered a large group of followers and attempted to not only gain control of the wizarding world, but purge it of anyone with Muggle blood.

His followers were called Death Eaters, a name she snorted at upon reading. How very juvenile. What intelligent adult would want to be known by that name? Well, perhaps they weren't very intelligent. They appeared to be comprised of both wizards and witches that fought as the elite of his forces. Their public uniform was reported to be black hoods with snake-like eye slits. Voldemort's so-called inner circle also had something called a Dark Mark burned into the inside of their left forearm. Apparently, this mark permitted Voldemort to magically call them, allowing them to Apparate directly to his side when summoned.

She frowned and looked up from the book. Voldemort and his followers sounded a great deal like the Nazis of World War II, even though he came to power nearly four decades later. Hadn't the world learned to question those that believed in "blood purity" by then? Why couldn't humankind learn from their past mistakes and avoid such bigotry and cruelty?

With a troubled expression, Sarah picked up the book again to read about the end of the war. To her surprise, young Harry Potter was mentioned in the downfall the Dark Lord. Death Eaters were killing entire families of any who opposed Voldemort, and apparently Voldemort himself went to kill one young couple. However, after killing the couple, when the Dark Lord cast the Avada Kedavra curse at one year old Harry Potter - a killing curse known for being unblockable with no counter-curse - it rebounded from young Harry and destroyed Voldemort instead. Harry Potter became known as the Boy Who Lived.

"Poor Harry" thought Sarah. "Proclaimed a hero for something he didn't do and probably doesn't even remember. No wonder he tries to avoid being in the spotlight so badly. But, if he's the celebrated Boy Who Lived, why was Delores Umbridge abusing him as she was?"

After thinking on that for a while and finally deciding that she was lacking information, Sarah returned to her book to read about the trials of identified Death Eaters. One name she recognized was that of "Malfoy". She wondered about the relationship to young Draco Malfoy at Hogwarts, whether father, older brother or a more distant connection. According to the book, Lucius Malfoy believed firmly in the concept of blood purity and the rumor was that he joined Voldemort because of it. However, after Voldemort's defeat, he avoided imprisonment by claiming that he had been under the Imperius Curse. As a result, he and his family were able to retain their freedom and maintained their social elite status.

"I wonder whether the Ministry of Magic used Veritaserum to confirm those claims" Sarah thought. "And if not, then why not?"

While reading about a Scandinavian man named Igor Karkaroff, Sarah read a passage that caused her eyes to widen in shock. She reread the passage over and over, not quite believing what she was seeing. Igor Karkaroff joined the Death Eaters as a young man, but after being captured and briefly imprisoned in Azkaban following Voldemort's defeat, Karkaroff turned in other Death Eaters in exchange for his freedom.

"_One man identified by Karkaroff was Severus Snape, a young Potions Master. However, although Snape had indeed joined the Death Eaters and bore the Dark Mark, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot vouched for Snape's loyalty before the Wizengamot, insisting he had been serving as a spy within Voldemort's followers. Immediately thereafter, Dumbledore hired Snape to teach Potions at Hogwarts and installed him as the Head of Slytherin House."_

Severus had been a Death Eater? Was that what she had seen in his dreams? Memories of what happened all those years ago? But that didn't make sense. He appeared to be his current age in those dreams, not someone her own age. And what he had dreamed, the killings he performed would certainly twist a young man's psyche. But what about the torture's he endured? Did Voldemort torture his own inner circle? Why would anyone follow such a madman?

If he had joined deliberately, but then regretted his actions and became Dumbledore's spy, that would explain why Albus vouched for him after the war and then hired him. Whatever had caused him to hate the world and support Voldemort probably was the reason he was still so bad-tempered. And even with Dumbledore championing him, he was probably distrusted by many. Living with the memory of murdering others, the soul-wrenching regret she had seen in his dreams, topped with being distrusted and despised for his past would certainly warp a lesser person. She wondered if he preemptively pushed others away before they could get close enough to hurt him.

_______________

Sarah stood in the lowest levels, the so-called dungeons and paused before knocking on Severus' door. She tapped the folder she was carrying with her fingertips and considered whether to proceed. She had originally found the Potion Master's attitude a challenge, but now that she understood his background more, she wondered whether forcing her friendship on the man was proper. However, he had sought her out after she had the Dragonswirl plants delivered to him. He had even shaken her hand and acknowledged her as a colleague, although he stopped short of accepting her as a friend. But it was a start. She knocked firmly on the door.

"Enter" drifted through the thick wooden door.

She stepped into his room and beamed a smile at him. "Good morning, Severus! How are you this fine Saturday? Enjoying your weekend, I hope?"

"It is difficult to enjoy one's solitude when one is confronted with uninvited guests" was the acerbic reply.

She grinned cheekily at him and came further into the room. "Then I'll be quick. Albus said he wanted both the students and staff to wear costumes at the Masquerade." She paused as his face darkened with disgust. "I know; you have no intention of appearing in an undignified manner. However, I had a couple of ideas that you might actually enjoy, especially as it could let you sneak up on unsuspecting wrong-doers among the students." She waved the folder she was carrying at him.

He raised an eyebrow at the manila folder. "And you are brandishing that particular item for a specific reason, Miss Williams?"

"It's Sarah. And yes, I printed off a couple of ideas that you might be willing to consider." His expression refuted that comment, but she ignored it. "I thought of a number of ideas, from a gypsy, to a pirate, to Caesar or Mark Antony, to Zorro. However, I wanted to suggest three to you."

"The first is a character from the novel "_Le Gaulois" _by Gaston Lerous which later became a well known play titled "The Phantom of the Opera". The primary costume is white shirt, with black coat, pants, shoes and gloves. It also includes a red cape and a white face mask. I figured much of your current wardrobe could be used, and you could probably magic…err..transfigure the remainder."

"I am familiar with the book and character" he said curtly as he looked at the computer printout of a man in costume. He appeared to examine the colored ink and paper more carefully than he did the costume.

"The next is a vampire." She ignored his rolling eyes and loud snort. "I'm sure you know that some of the children are certain that you are a vampire because of your skin tone and enjoyment of being out at night, so playing it up could be entertaining. I have two images that are dignified and yet imposing."

She handed him two more printouts. "In the first the costume is a white shirt, cravat, and gloves, dark crimson vest, black pants and a high-collared black cape with a crimson lining. In the second, it's a white shirt and gloves again, but with a black vest embroidered with silver, black pants and the same cape, only with a more Victorian tiered cape. You would probably want to tie your hair back for either look. Personally, I think the first one is incredibly sexy."

He gave her a sharp look before again examining the printed pictures with an indifferent expression.

When he made no comments, she sighed and turned to the last costume she thought he might consider. "The last is the Grim Reaper. That lets you simply wear a dark hooded robe and gloves, a skeleton mask or make-up, and carry a scythe. Certainly, it would facilitate providing anonymity among the students."

He accepted the page and looked at the images. "The first picture on the page appears to be a real person in costume, but why do you have a drawing included as well?"

"Oh, that's Death from Terry Prachett's "_Discworld_" series. I was making pictures of Susan Sto Helit from the same books for my own costume." At his raised eyebrow, she elaborated. "She is Death's Granddaughter in the book series, and fills in for him at times. She's very practical and sensible. I'm sure you would appreciate her, or at least her teaching methods."

He sneered at the last statement. "Indeed? Why would I approve of a literary character's teaching technique? "

"Well, if a child complains about a monster in the cupboard or under the bed, most parents explain to the child that there is no monster. Susan on the other hand, simply hands the child a suitable weapon with which to attack the monster." Severus briefly raised an eyebrow. "Or as a governess she found that her charges' reading progress was improved by using interesting books which were slightly too difficult for them, and which therefore presented something of a challenge. Parents however, had reservations about her choice of General Tacticus' Campaigns as a reader, since the ability to spell 'disembowelled' was not necessarily needed by children under ten." She grinned broadly at seeing Severus' lips twitch.

"Why does the Death character carry an hourglass in addition to the scythe?"

"The hourglass is a depiction of the soul's remaining time on earth, as I recall. Hmm, now that you mention it, perhaps I should try to find hourglass jewelry for my costume."

"What apparel do you intend for this masquerade?" Severus sounded uninterested and he looked at the pictures she had given him when asking.

"I have a picture here somewhere…" Sarah rifled through the papers in her folder. "Here it is. She has all white hair, although it has a black skunk streak in it. She wears a black cape with a hood and a round broach fastener, a black bodice and skirt and black laced-up boots."

Severus looked at the picture. "Death's Granddaughter's skirt has a slit up to thigh?"

Sarah grinned at him. "Maybe she's giving the men she's coming to collect a last thrill?" He snorted and looked at the various pictures she had printed.

"Being the Grim Reaper does have a certain macabre appeal" he admitted. "And the opportunity to walk unknown among the student revelers would be advantageous. If the Headmaster is going to insist on such preposterous behavior from the staff, then that costume would be no more ludicrous than any other."

He was rewarded with a brilliant smile from the younger woman. "Excellent! Perhaps you will save me a dance then Severus? Although we'll have to find a place for our scythes; we don't need to wind up in the Infirmary due to an overly close encounter of the bladed kind."

Before he could comment in what was sure to be a sarcastic rejoinder, Sarah's grin faded. "Severus, Jareth invited me for a moonlight sail this evening. I'm trying to determine his motives. From the little you've seen of him, do you think it's possible that he's trying to get me to fall for him so that he can then spurn me since I rejected him?"

The Potion Master's obsidian eyes met her own. "I do not profess to understand the Goblin King nor do I comprehend his inducements. He likely has an agenda that conceals a variety of purposes. What do you propose to do?"

Her lips rose in a smile a Slytherin would have appreciated. "I propose to win, of course."

_______________

The weather remained temperate, so after the evening meal in the Great Hall, Sarah changed into an off the shoulder cotton sweater, Capri pants and rubber soled flats. She pulled the sides of her hair up into a clip and let the remainder tumble down her back. She waited near the edge of the lake, wondering if he intended to sail there or elsewhere. If elsewhere, she wasn't certain she wanted to trust him to not only take her away, but return her as well.

A shimmering fog appeared on the lake as she waited and abruptly a sailboat emerged from the mist. It looked to be over 30 feet long and she saw only one figure on deck. As it neared the shore, she moved out to the dock, finally recognizing Jareth. He smoothly stopped at the dock and with a gesture; the boat remained at place without an anchor. He jumped off the side of the boat to the dock and smiled warmly at her. Instead of his normal silk shirt, he was in finely woven blue cotton sateen that highlighted his eyes with black trousers.

"Good evening, Sarah. You look lovely. The weather appears to be favoring us this evening and I am grateful that you agreed to join me."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you, Jareth. It does look like we will have excellent weather."

With a quick gesture, a ramp slid down from the side of the boat to the dock, and he offered her his hand to help her to board. The interior of the boat appeared to be a warm teak. Wooden benches were available for seating and Sarah smiled when she saw a basket filled with breads, cheeses, fruits and wine.

Once they were seated, Jareth gestured and the sailboat turned and tacked in to the wind. "How are you enjoying your teaching role, Sarah?"

She regaled him with amusing anecdotes, alternating between her own ignorance of the wizarding world and the students' ignorance of the Muggle world. He laughed warmly as she sketched the stories and the characters involved. "As you can see, I am gaining a great deal of plots that I can use as I write short stories or even attempt a novel."

"Is that what most interests you, Sarah? Writing stories for others?"

"I enjoy the creativity of it. I enjoy defining a plot, the characters, their flaws and strengths and creating something that grips the reader and keeps them enthralled. I enjoy being able to use words to bring the reader to another world, so to speak. But what about you, Jareth? How is your Kingdom and subjects?"

In his turn, he offered stories from his kingdom and his subjects. The little she had seen in her journey through the Labyrinth did not begin to portray the depth or breadth of the Goblin Kingdom or his duties as its monarch.

As they spoke, the sun began to set and the water became quiet and glass-like. The stars began to appear in the clear evening sky and the moon rose.

"What about your subjects outside of the Underground, Jareth? Do not the Gringott goblins report to you?"

"Yes, both the Gringotts goblins and even the house elves are part of my extended kingdom. The goblins that run the bank system are a more intelligent breed as are the house elves. However, I try to avoid too much contact with them."

Sarah sipped the wine he poured for her. "Why is that? Why avoid that sect of your subjects?"

"I tend to become angry when I have too much contact. The wizarding world enslaved the house elves and many have been treated brutally by their human "owners"." He spit the word out with disgust. "They have no rights of their own and are looked on by wizarding society as mere servants."

"Even the goblins are considered to be inferior by many wizards, even though they control the wizarding economy to a significant extent through their control of Gringotts. In addition to their cleverness with finances and information gathering, they also are very capable metal smiths. Severe injustice towards non-wizards has been built into all aspects of wizard society. Were it not for the ancient Compact by which I am still bound, I would not hesitate to recall all the goblins and house elves to the Underground and let them suffer the consequences of their own inequities."

His bitter vehemence was frightening and Sarah couldn't hide a small shudder as the power of his magic rolled over her. He noticed and deliberately drew a deep breath and released it, letting his anger go as well. "My apologies, Precious. I did not intend to darken the mood of the evening."

"No apologies are necessary, Jareth. I can see that you care deeply for your subjects and agree that prejudice and discrimination has no place in today's society."

"Thank you, Sarah." He touched her cheek briefly in a gentle caress. Sarah met raised her hand to touch his own in empathy with his concern for his subjects. As her hand touched his, their eyes met and she felt caught in this gaze. The intensity in his eyes was nearly overwhelming her senses, or was it the unconditional masculinity he radiated? The hand on her cheek turned and caught her own hand, and he raised it to his lips, brushing a tender kiss across her fingers. He released her hand and turned to pick up a purple fruit she didn't recognize and sliced it lengthwise. In a casual voice he said "Try this. I think you will like it." She took a bite of the bittersweet fruit while keeping her eyes on him until a loud splash off their starboard drew both of their attention.

Sarah looked in amazement at the large tentacles rising over the side of the boat, gently exploring it. "Oh, the giant squid! I've heard of this. It seems to be relatively friendly to the Hogwarts residents, and has even been known to rescue students in distress." She stood up and gently stroked a tentacle, which drew two others that touched her gently as if memorizing her. Once the squid explored the boat, it slipped back under the water, apparently satisfied that they meant no harm to its lake.

Eventually, Jareth returned the sailboat to the dock, wrapping a blanket around her when she shivered slightly. The plank was lowered again, and he helped her down, and then tucked her hand in the crook of his arm for the walk back to the castle. As they neared the door, he lifted the hand and kissed it softly.

"Thank you for your company this evening, Sarah and for sharing the experience with me. Will you grant me your company again soon?"

"I'm the one to thank you, Jareth. It was a lovely evening. I couldn't have asked for more. And yes, I would enjoy spending another evening with you."

She thought he would kiss her goodnight and was surprised when he merely smiled at her agreement for another date and stepped back saying "Good night, Sarah. Sweet dreams." He turned away and returned to the sailboat, leaving her with only the blanket to keep her warm.

***************


	19. Many Questions

**Chapter 19 - Questions**

Hagrid began waving to Sarah when she entered the Great Hall for breakfast on Sunday morning, so she made her way to the chair he was holding for her.

"Oi, Sarah, you'll never guess who I saw this morning!" he said excitedly as soon as she sat down.

She smiled at his eagerness. "Who was that, Hagrid?"

"Blazewing! 'E was bumpin' against m'door first thing this mornin'!"

Sarah's delighted expression matched Hagrid's. "Is he still there?" She made as if to get up from the table, and he waved her back down.

"Aye, 'e's goin' ta be waitin' for ya. I got the idea 'e wasn't plannin' ta go anywhere until 'e's seen ya."

"Then I'll walk back to your cabin with you after breakfast, if you don't mind. I'm looking forward to seeing him."

They chatted amicably about the young hippogriff for several minutes until Madame Sprout claimed Hagrid's attention.

Turning to Charity, Sarah quietly asked the question that had been on her mind ever since reading "_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_" the previous day. "Charity, I've been catching up on Wizarding events of the past century and just learned about the Voldemort and his followers, along with his defeat and how young Harry Potter somehow avoided the killing curse. The book I was reading seemed to give him quite a celebrity status, and I wondered if you knew why Delores Umbridge had been singling him out for punishment."

Charity's eyes widened and she gave an involuntary shudder as Sarah named the Dark Lord. "Last year, we had a Tri-wizard Tournament" she began. At Sarah's questioning glance, she elaborated "it's a magical contest held between the three wizarding schools of Europe; Hogwarts from Great Britain, Durmstrang Institute from Scandanavia and Beauxbatons Academy from France. Each school has one champion who competes in three tasks to demonstrate their magical proficiency, intelligence and courage. Students vie for the honor of representing their school in the Tournament. Last year was the first time in generations that we held one, because until new restrictions were added, it was too dangerous to the contestants.

Even though Charity was speaking quietly, conversations around the staff table ceased as she spoke and the other staff members unashamedly listened to the discussion.

"When the champions were chosen, somehow instead of three champions, four were chosen. Mr. Potter was somehow selected as a champion even though he was too young to compete and even after Cedric Diggory had already been chosen to represent Hogwarts."

Charity took a deep breath and struggled to keep her voice even. "At the end of the Tournament, Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory reached the Wizard's Cup simultaneously and were abruptly transported through an unexpected port key. They arrived at a graveyard where Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff House Prefect, Captain of his team's Quidditch team, and a good, kind and brave young man who was admired by almost everyone…was callously murdered."

"It turns out that the followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named manipulated the Tournament from the beginning just to deliver Harry Potter. They killed Cedric and then used Harry's blood in a dark ritual to restore the Dark Lord from an incorporeal form to a new physical form. He immediately summoned his Death Eaters and dueled Mr. Potter, but the lad somehow managed to escape and even brought Cedric's body back."

Charity's eyes were swimming with tears at this point and her voice faltered. She reached for her juice and drank deeply. "The Ministry of Magic refuses to acknowledge that You-Know-Who has returned. They branded both Mr. Potter and the Headmaster as either liars or mentally ill in the press. Delores Umbridge used the Blood Quill on Mr. Potter as punishment because he refuses to recant his story."

Sarah's eyes were wide in shock. "But…it can be proven, can't it? Wizards have Veritaserum, you have Legilimency; surely there are ways to confirm his story?"

"That assumes that the Ministry is willing to risk that the story isn't refuted, Sarah. Their position is that the Dark Lord has _not_ returned and they do not want to risk having it disproved."

Dumbledore inserted himself into the conversation. "Not everyone has the bravery of young Mr. Diggory," he said quietly. "The Ministry will come about in time."

The Headmaster looked at the brooding faces around the staff table before commenting "Let us speak of more pleasant things. Tell me Sarah, how are your dance lessons for the students going? I heard there was a positive response to the first lesson."

Sarah mentally shook herself from the Charity's depressing tale and tried to respond to the Headmaster calmly. "I was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiastic reaction. The next lesson covers the rumba and samba, but I'm a little concerned that I haven't had any assistants sign up this time. My assistants from the previous lesson signed up as pupils. I think it's going to be a bit challenging to have no one who knows the steps."

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled at her. "I'm surprised. I've always found those dance steps to be quite enjoyable." He paused and looked at her expectantly.

Obediently, Sarah smiled and said "Why Albus, perhaps you would be willing to join me in helping the students learn those dances?"

"I do believe that could be arranged, my dear. However, if the House Heads would let it be known that I will award 25 points per House that sponsors an assistant; perhaps that will provide a little incentive." He looked at Minerva, Filius, Pomona and Severus who agreed to notify their Houses.

Sarah beamed a smile at the Headmaster and the House Heads. "Thank you very much!"

Following breakfast, Sarah joined Hagrid on the walk back to his cabin. They were several hundred yards away when a loud bellow was followed by Blazewing swooping down on the two. He landed several yards in front of them and and Sarah immediately met his eyes and bowed as she learned was appropriate. The young hippogriff returned the bow and moved closer, nudging her chest with his head, causing her to stumble back a few steps.

Sarah began stroking the feathered head and spoke softly. "Good morning, Blazewing. My, you're looking handsome today. I've missed you. Are you fully recovered now?"

The hippogriff flexed its wings to demonstrate the recovery and crooned at her, nudging her again and leaning into her hand.

Hagrid watched the pair with a proud look on her face. This young Muggle knew how to treat a beastie correctly. He admired how she scratched under the feathers and how the hippogriff turned its head so that she could attend to the spots he couldn't reach himself. "Right then. I'll just leave you two alone," he said before moving away.

Sarah spent a pleasant hour with Blazewing, first giving him scratches and then lying against him in the warm sunshine. When the hippogriff rumbled and looked over her shoulder, she was surprised to see Severus Snape nearing them. He stopped several paces away and bowed slightly to the beast. After a moment's hesitation, Blazewing dipped his head in response and Severus approached nearer.

Looking at Sarah, he said abruptly "I am going to collect some potion ingredients in the Forbidden Forest."

Sarah smiled at the reticent man and realized that was as close to an invitation as she would likely receive. "Blazewing, have you met Professor Snape? He's the Potions Master at Hogwarts." T he hippogriff squawked quietly and inclined its head again. "Would you like some company or assistance, Severus?"

"Your presences would not be…intolerable."

The hippogriff rumbled and eyed Sarah. She leaned forward and whispered loudly, "That was practically passionate encouragement for the Professor". A short yawp seemed to indicate the creature's laughter.

Severus huffed behind her. "I _am_ standing right here."

Sarah stood and brushed the grass off her slacks while Blazewing stood and ruffled his feathers into place. She grinned unrepentantly at the tall man and threaded her arm in his. "Lead on MacDuff! We are at your disposal."

Severus rolled his eyes briefly. "Must you use ill-referenced citations? You would be severely marked down on an essay were I to read that. The correct quote from Macbeth is 'Lay on, MacDuff and damn be him that first cries, Hold, enough'".

The three moved off towards the Forbidden Forest discussing Shakespeare, leaving a very confused Rubeus Hagrid scratching his head at the sight of the ill-tempered Potions Master not only permitting the young Muggle woman to use his arm, but apparently bantering with her as well.

"Hogwarts gossip will have us affianced or having an affair by the end of the day," Severus observed as they reached the forest.

"All three of us? Now that's quite the ménage a trois. I had no idea the wizarding world was so…salacious." Blazewing squawked raucously and Sarah couldn't resist giggling at the indignant sound.

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and ignored the comment. "Hagrid has a well deserved reputation for prattling."

"Ah, I see." Sarah looked at her companion with admiration. "You are quite the sneaky Slytherin, aren't you?"

His lips twitched in a self-satisfied smirk. "That would be a redundant allusion."

They looked for the monkshood and asphodel that the Potions Master needed, keeping an eye out for potential hazards in the dangerous forest. As they gathered the plants, Severus abruptly said "From your conversation this morning, you have been researching the Wizarding War and the Dark Lord."

Sarah raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Yes, I read "_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_" this weekend. I understand from Charity's comments that Voldemort has returned to life. The logical conclusion is that there is another war brewing."

Obsidian eyes met her warm brown ones. "Then you read of my role as a Death Eater."

"I did."

He dug out several more plants. "And you have no questions?"

Sarah helped Blazewing dig up some mushrooms that his claws were too large to get and offered them to the hippogriff. eturning to digging up the plants he had identified she said calmly, "Your reasons for originally joining are none of my business. Your subsequent actions repudiated the earlier decision." She added a plant to the damp leather gathering bag that held the ingredients. "The man I saw in your dreams was not a 20 year old, so it seems plausible that you have resumed your previous role."

She leaned back on her heels and looked at him. "What should I question? Whether you will be safe? An undercover agent is never safe. I do not question your courage, fortitude, allegiance or honor."

He did not look at her. "You saw my dreams. You know that I have murdered innocent people at the Dark Lord's command and you do not question my honor?"

"I know that you try to save those you can. Your nightmares tell me how not being able to save everyone wounds your soul."

He snorted, "You attempt to romanticize me, madam. It will not be successful."

"No, I don't think so. I'm aware that you can be an arrogant, impatient, manipulative and occasionally malevolent man. I'm also aware that you are an intelligent, brave, loyal and indomitable man. No one person is all good or all bad."

She smiled at him. "You can act like a burr as much as you want, Severus Snape. You can be all prickles and thorns to keep people away and for the most part, it probably works pretty well. But as you've discovered, I'm much too obstinate and ornery in my own right to conform to expectations."

He dug up a few more plants and put them in the gathering bag, frowning as he did, his lips pressed into a thin line. Sarah shook her head mentally, sensing that he was going to attempt to convince her that he truly was a vile person. To distract him, she said "I had an interesting evening with the Goblin King last night."

He scowled at her change of subject but did not comment.

"He asked me about myself and answered my own questions about his kingdom and subjects. He brought the proverbial loaf of bread and jug of wine. All in all, it was quite a nice evening." She frowned slightly. "He didn't kiss me good night though."

Severus glanced at her. "But he made you think about it? Caused you to want him to kiss you? Then he achieved his purpose, foolish girl."

"I know."

"Hmph. We have enough herbs now. Come along you two, there is no need to dawdle so." He turned and led the way out of the forest and back to the castle.


	20. Gossip, Dancing and Dream Weaving

**Chapter 20** **– Gossip, Dancing and Dream Weaving**

By the time Sarah and Severus left the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid had mentioned to Madam Sprout that it was "nice t'see that Pr'fesser Snape makin' friends with young Sarah". One less than subtle question later, the Herbology professor discovered that Hagrid had seen the Potions Master and the young Muggle woman walking arm in arm and chatting amicably.

Madam Sprout in turn asked Madam Hooch whether she had seen the aloof Potions Master and the young Muggles Studies Assistant spending time together recently. Madam Hooch saw Minerva McGonagall and asked bluntly "Has Severus Snape started a _romantic_ relationship with Sarah Williams?" And Minerva stopped by Albus Dumbledore's office to ask if the meddling old man was trying to marry Severus Snape off to Sarah Williams. To her frustration, Albus Dumbledore just twinkled his eyes in response and asked if she would like a lemon drop.

While the gossip made the rounds, Sarah and Severus bid good bye to Blazewing, noting that they just had time to clean up before lunch in the Great Hall. They arrived only moments before the students came in and took their seats at the staff table; Sarah slightly out of breath and flushed from nearly running from her quarters to be on time. Severus noticed but ignored the inquisitive looks by the other members of the staff.

Sarah sat in her accustomed seat next to Charity and smiled at her co-workers, oblivious to the interested glances and just pleased at not being late. As the meal was served, she asked the older woman older woman if she had decided on a masquerade costume.

"I want to come as a Muggle, Sarah. What would you suggest that would make it clear that's what I'm representing?"

Sarah tipped her head and considered. "Perhaps you could come as a Muggle who typically wears a uniform?"

"Such as? I don't think I want to be a housekeeper or maid."

"Well, there are any number of professions that typically have uniforms. For example, there are fire fighters, police officers, mail carriers, medical personnel, chefs, anyone in the military, or even a race car driver or astronaut. Of course, the last two would probably be hot and uncomfortable."

Charity considered briefly. "By mail carrier, you are referring to the Muggles that deliver mail in place of owls?"

"Yes. If you would like, I can bring you images of postal workers and the mail bags."

The older woman beamed a smile at her. "That would be appreciated, Sarah. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. By the way, would you be willing to help me if I need any part of my costume transfigured or need some magical assistance? I'm trying to decide whether to buy a wig or simply ask someone to cast a glamour or some other type of charm or transfiguration. Oh, that reminds me…."

Sarah turned to Filius and asked the diminutive Charms Master "Would changing the appearance of my locket interfere with the defensive charms on it or harm the port key?"

He looked at the locket against her neck briefly. "I don't think so, my dear, especially if you have a member of the staff performs any transfiguration. You would not want a "Finite Incantatem" cast to cancel the spell though."

Minerva overheard the conversation and leaned over to them. "I would be happy to assist with Transfiguration of your necklace, Sarah. We wouldn't want anything to happen to your port key or protections."

"Thank you, Minerva! That's very kind of you." Sarah smiled gratefully at the Transfiguration Mistress.

"Now that I think of it, perhaps I should allocate some class time for the students to perform their costume transfigurations. At the very least, it would give them practice and it might prevent an unfortunate mishap if they were unsupervised." She pursed her lips as if remembering mishaps that had occurred in the past.

The Headmaster leaned forward and directed a question to Severus mischievously. "Are you still planning to attend the Masquerade as a Potions Master, Severus?"

Obsidian eyes glared at blue twinkling eyes. "If you are truly adamant that the staff must participate in such juvenile antics, then I must reluctantly acquiesce to the necessity" he said curtly.

"Excellent! I'm pleased to have your participation my boy! What disguise are you considering?"

"Something that will keep me suitably incognito" was the brusque reply.

_______________

Sarah arrived at the second dance lesson early, placing her iPod and speakers in the middle of the room before laying the foot prints on the floor in the back of the room. Dumbledore arrived shortly after the first few students and she smiled at him warmly.

"Thank you again for helping tonight Albus!"

"My pleasure, my dear. This should be a most entertaining evening." She chuckled as he hiked up his robes enough to make his feet visible and tucked the excess into his belt.

Once everyone on the sign-up sheet arrived, Sarah moved to the center of the room, trying not to be nervous that the Headmaster would critique her teaching style.

"Good evening and welcome everyone. Tonight we're going to be learning the Rumba and Samba. Both of these are based in the Latin culture." Sarah moved to her iPod and called up Gloria Estefan's _"I'm not giving you up_". Standing in the center of the room, she met the eyes of her students. She was surprised to see Draco Malfoy among the students as well as the Hufflepuff assistants from the first class.

She gave the group a slow smile. "The Rumba is a very slow, serious, romantic dance with flirtation between the partners. The dance is fun to watch, as many of its basic dance figures of the dance have a teasing theme in which the lady flirts with and then denies her male partner. It spotlights the lady's rhythmic body movements and hip actions. Like a waltz, the dance steps fit evenly into four beat bars of music, but the couple does not travel around the dance floor like in the waltz, but rather they stay in one location. The basic Rumba step is a very simple box step."

Smiling at the Headmaster she said "Professor Dumbledore volunteered to assist me this evening. Professor, if you would join me?"

Dumbledore moved up to the front of the class, stood before her, then bowed politely. Sarah curtseyed and said "You start dancing the Rumba in a closed dance position. The man's left hand is holding the lady's right hand with the elbows almost touching. The man's right hand is placed underneath the lady's shoulder blade. The lady's left hand is placed right behind the man's shoulder, flat on his back. Typically, the partners retain eye contact during the dance." The two of them moved into position as Sarah gave the instructions.

The song finished and in the silence, Sarah gave the basic instructions. "Gentlemen or leaders, you

start by stepping forward with your left foot. Ladies or followers, you are mirroring his movements. Now sidestep to the right with your right foot and then bring your left over to it. Step back with your right, then sidestep to the left with your left foot and bring the right over to the left."

She moved to her iPod and selected Estefan's "_Traces of Love_", setting it on auto advancement. Returning to Dumbledore, he held out his hand to her and they stepped into position and began moving in the rumba box, with Sarah repeating her earlier instructions as they moved.

She smiled at the Headmaster, impressed with his easy movements. "Again, the basic rhythm of the Rumba is quick-quick-slow with distinct side-to-side hip movements. You'll notice my hip movements may appear exaggerated, but I'm not moving them deliberately. Instead, the movement is simply a result of good foot, ankle, knee, and leg action. When the weight transfers are controlled well, the hips take care of themselves."

She smiled as she watched many of the students mimicking their movements, even without a partner. "If you watch our feet, you will see that all of our steps are taken to the inside edge of the ball of the foot. As each step is taken, the pointed toe of the moving foot skims the floor as it moves into place. As with all Latin dances, the footwork is ball-flat, ball-flat for all steps."

"A movement that exists in many dances is an inside turn. Basically, the partner performing the turn (usually the woman or follower) begins by moving towards the leader at the beginning of the turn, and then moves under their arm in a counterclockwise movement, returning on the next beat." She and the Headmaster demonstrated the turn and then continued with the steps.

As the song ended, Dumbledore stepped back and bowed to her, and she returned his courtesy with a curtsey. "Thank you, Miss Williams" the Headmaster said with a smile. "Please notice and imitate the Headmaster, and thank your partner and then escort them back to their chair afterwards."

Celine Dion's "_Falling For You_" began playing and Sarah called for the students to pick a partner. She noticed a Gryffindor girl and Draco Malfoy were not accompanied and rolled her eyes at Dumbledore that the two didn't partner. He chuckled and moved to the girl, bowing and asking for the pleasure of her company. She blushed at joining the Headmaster, but appeared to find him a better partner than the Slytherin young man. At the same time, Sarah moved towards Draco, who sneered slightly, but stepped forward to meet her with a civil bow.

If he was new to the dance, he didn't show it. He moved easily to the rhythm. "Good everyone" Sarah called as her eye swept the room, "now let's add an inside turn when you are comfortable." While most of the ladies made the turn properly, several couples had trouble getting back into position afterwards, although Draco achieved it gracefully with a slight smirk.

After forty-five minutes when it seemed most couples were starting to be comfortable, Sarah gave them a ten minute break. At the end, she said "I hope you are now stretched and limber because we're moving into the Samba. In its native country, the Samba is a carnival dance, performed solo. But on a ballroom floor, it is a lively partner dance characterized by a rolling body action and fast leg movements. Some of the patterns are performed in one spot, like most Latin dances, but there are also travelling patterns in Samba that are a lot of fun."

Some of the students looked intrigued while others looked nervous, but hopeful that they wouldn't embarrass themselves too badly.

"The count for the Samba basic step is one-and-two, three-and-four. The 'and' count falls between beats. In this rhythm, counts one and three are held for three quarters of a beat, the 'and' count is held one quarter of a beat. Counts two and four are one full beat apiece. I'll warn you in advance that the music is quite fast in a Samba! Use small steps, keep the balls of your feet on the floor, your knees bent, and do not lower your heel on the 'and' count so that you can keep up."

She smiled at Dumbledore and he bowed to her, receiving her curtsey in return. "You generally start dancing Samba in closed dance position like the Rumba. Again, the lady's will mirror the gentleman's steps. Remember, it's one-and-two, three-and-count as the count. Gentlemen, on count one, step forward with your left foot, putting your weight on it. On the 'and' bring your right foot to your left and shift the weight to the ball of the foot only on the right. On the two count, replace the weight on your left foot. On three, step back with the right foot, putting your weight on it. On the 'and' bring your left foot to your right, shift the weight to the ball of the left. And finally on count four, replace the weight on your right foot." Sarah and Dumbledore demonstrated the steps slowly as she talked them through it.

"And that's it…except that it's much faster." She grinned evilly at the students and turned on "_La Vida Es un Carniva_l" by Celia Cruz, just a little worried whether the elderly Headmaster would be able to dance the fast steps. To her surprise, he danced like a middle-aged man rather than a senior citizen, keeping up with the music beats. Sarah repeated the instructions as they progressed through the movements. "If you think you're ready to try it, select a partner and join us, otherwise keep watching and counting."

She waited several minutes after the first song to let the students…and Albus…catch their breaths, using the time to show the printed footsteps on the floor and walk slowly through the movements. "OK, let's try this again. Partner up, please."

Sarah moved to the iPod and turned on "_Magalenha_" by Sergio Mendes. A Ravenclaw boy approached her and bowed politely. "Would you give me the honor, Miss Williams?" As she accepted and they moved into position, he admitted "I need you to tell me what I'm doing wrong."

After a few beats, Sarah smiled at the young man and said "You are attempting to step on your heel rather than the ball of your foot on the "and" count. A very simple and standard mistake."

He blinked in surprise and on the next count cycle, he kept his weight on the ball of his foot, giving her a brilliant smile as he slipped into the motion easily. "Thank you, Miss Williams! And thank you very much for offering these lessons. I only learned to waltz before, and am enjoying these new steps very much."

Although the evening would have been easier with more assistants, Sarah was pleased that it went as well as it did. By making sure she gave several minutes between each samba, neither the students nor the Headmaster were out of breath and uncomfortable during the remainder of the session.

By the time she picked up the room and used the port key to return to her dormitory in London, she was feeling the effects of the evening herself. She wondered how the Headmaster had managed, never realizing he had used a wandless "Notice Me Not" spell and consumed an energizing potion midway through the samba lesson.

_______________

Sarah finished the revision session with her University study group and bid them good night, walking back to her dorm room. She was pleased she had found other students with compatible study times. Because of the group, she was maintaining an honors position even though her job at Hogwarts took more time than she had originally expected.

A smile lit her face as she thought about Hogwarts. She thoroughly enjoyed her job and didn't begrudge the time commitment. The incredible people she had met and the culture she had discovered existing beside her own made for a fascinating time of her life. Of course, the scores of story ideas didn't hurt at all either. Even her personal dream weaving abilities factored into her story telling. She was thinking of writing a fiction novel after graduation based on a character with dream weaving abilities.

In her dorm room, she used her single cup brewer and made a cup of tea, then sat down by the window to consider her dream weaving abilities. Since she had started her meditation and directed dreaming techniques, she didn't think she had inadvertently trespassed on someone else's dreams.

She hadn't tried changing something in the real world since Jareth had asked her to try and she had left a mural in his Underground castle. Perhaps she should try to train that aspect of her abilities.

What could she do as a first attempt? Try to change an inanimate object into something else? Perhaps she should see if she could manage some of her Masquerade costume changes just through her dreaming? That might be an interesting challenge. She didn't want to attempt anything with her locket that could damage the port key or defensive charms, but perhaps she could change a pair of normal boots into the lace-up style? Could she train herself to dream of seeing and changing the boots?

Sarah gazed out of the window with unseeing eyes. What was the value of being able to change the real world through her dreams? It wasn't like she could end world hunger….or could she? Could she end droughts? Increase third world crops just through her dreams? She snorted in derision at herself. She may as well try to stop Voldemort. Yeah, right. She didn't have any abilities to stop him.

Sarah paused in her thoughts and reconsidered. Just how far did dream weaving abilities go? She couldn't dream herself into being some type of omnipotent being, able to dream someone like Voldemort out of existence…could she? The very idea of potentially having that type of power was frightening. She didn't want to be some type of Supreme Being. She wanted to be a writer!

"I wonder if Jareth would tell me how far other dream weavers had progressed with impacting the waking world", she wondered. He had said someone managed to cause one king to attack another kingdom, hadn't he? That was changing one person's behavior. That didn't seem too significant …but what if she could change Voldemort's behavior? What if she could cause the Dark Lord to make tactical errors that permitted him to be defeated? Messed with his thoughts, memories and decisions? But how would she know if it was working?

Sarah sighed and leaned her head against the window pane. Perhaps she needed to focus on changing something in the real world that only she could confirm and verify. Could she dream of having abilities that would translate into the waking world? Her mind began to spin with the possibilities. Any abilities would have to be something with which the wizarding world would be unfamiliar, so that Voldemort and his followers wouldn't expect it and wouldn't have defenses against it. But what would that be?

"Baby steps, Sarah" she said to herself. "See what you can do that doesn't hurt or impact anyone else." She would try to change the boots first and see what happened. It could take days or even weeks to make it happen. No need to worry about being a combatant in a wizarding war when she didn't even know if she could do something simple.

She sighed again and turned away from the window to find Broul had appeared and was looking at her curiously.

"Lady upset? Lady wants Broul to do something?"

"Hello Broul, it's good to see you sweetie. No, I'm just thinking about something, but thank you for offering. What have you and Grep been up to?" She moved over to where he sat on the bed and he climbed into her lap.

"Coming here, going there. Lots to do in your building here, but more fun in the building there" was his ambiguous comment.

"Do you like being at Hogwarts, Broul?"

"Much human magic. Makes me sneeze sometimes. Many people to play tricks on though." He smiled showing all of his pointed teeth.

She tipped her head and looked at him curiously as he played with her hair. "Do you miss being in the Underground, Broul?"

"Stop there sometimes. Miss tricking some friends." He grinned mischievously. "Learning many tricks to play on them though."

"OK, sweetie. If you ever want to return to the Underground permanently, just let me know."

The little goblin grimaced and then announced "Going to check trash cans. Good eating! Sometimes fun toys too." He popped out before she could give her usual "Be careful!" warning.

Sarah shook her head fondly and began to prepare bed, followed by her evening meditation. She paused and looked at the closet as if in consideration. "What the heck" she thought and walked over to the closet, found her black boots and brought them back to the bed. Then she retrieved the computer printout image of Susan Sto Helit and focused on the character's boots. "I will change my boots into laced-up boots" she began to chant to herself, repeating the sentence over and over.

After several minutes, she felt the images and instructions were firmly lodged in her mind, and began her normal meditation. Finally, she switched off the light, mentally repeating the chant and visualizing the current and desired boots as she drifted off into sleep.

***************


	21. Delay Publishing

**Chapter 21 – Final Lesson**

Sarah awoke in her dorm room and stretched luxuriously, feeling her muscles and joints extend themselves to their fullest. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, stretching her arms above her head, feeling the muscles up her spine and arms prepare for the upcoming day.

Her eyes focused on her dresser and then widened looking at the boots sitting there. She had gone to bed with the mantra of changing her boots to a lace-up variety. She grinned broadly at what she saw. The boots were indeed laced up, but no longer had heels and the color had changed from a deep black to a washed out dark gray.

"Well, I guess I can call that a partial success. I was so focused on making the boots laced up, apparently I didn't visualize the boots in their entirety or the color."

She couldn't contain a giggle as she looked at the boots. Did she really think it would be that easy? Obviously, she was going to have to work hard at three dimension visualization techniques.

It took six consecutive nights of directed dreaming before the boots were transformed into what she wanted. By then, Sarah had firmly decided that changing physical matter as a dream weaver would have to be a last resort.

____________________

Sarah finished her exam at Royal Holloway and hastily collected her books before turning it in and nodding to the professor. She checked her watch and frowned. She barely had time to make it to her dormitory, gather her materials and make it to Hogwarts before the first class of the afternoon.

The young woman hurried to her dormitory, muttering under her breath about what to bring. The final dance instruction class was this afternoon, immediately before dinner, so she would need to bring the music and the pre-printed footsteps.

Sarah smiled as the last students left the Muggle Studies class before helping Charity put the class room back in order.

As she picked up her bag, Charity stopped her. "Do you mind if I observe this class, Sarah?"

"Not at all, although I might press you into service" Sarah chuckled.

Charity watched entranced as Sarah laid out the pre-printed footsteps in the back of the room and explained their use. Nodding in understanding, she murmured a brief sticking charm to ensure the paper "steps" would stay in place, receiving a smile of gratitude from the young Muggle woman. She stayed in the back out of the way and observed how Sarah welcomed the students and raised her voice slightly to command their attention.

"Thank you all for coming this afternoon. As you know, this is the final dance class before the Halloween Ball. Today, we're going to learn what is commonly called the 'swing' step."

Charity noted with approval that her Assistant met the eyes of the students as she talked, involving them in the discussion.

"Swing music began as a form of Jazz which developed in the United States the early 1930s. You'll recognize swing music thanks to its driving rhythm section and the use of horns. Although swing was popularized by big band orchestras in the late '30s and early '40s, it was revived in the late 90's by performers like Brian Setzer and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in the late '90s. New Muggle music is constantly being produced that is used in swing dancing, such as Love, Sex and Magic by Ciara and Justin Timberlake."

Sarah smiled at the students who relaxed somewhat once they realized the dance wouldn't be something only their grandparents could appreciate. "How you hold your partner will depend on the type of swing dance you're doing. The two most popular holds include the Double Open Hold and the Closed Hold. Let's start with the open position."

Sarah nodded at Owen Caudwell and he stepped to the front of the room to join her. The young Hufflepuff had performed well in the first class as an assistant, and was willing to participate again. "We'll perform each movement again as I give it, pausing to let them see where we are each time" she murmured to the young man, receiving his nod of understanding before proceeding.

"In the open position, the leader begins with his arms bent at roughly a 90-degree angle at waist height with his hands curved and thumbs up. The follower's arms are similarly bent at about 90-degrees at waist height with palms parallel to the ground and the fingers curved to fit into the leader's hands. Basically, just keep your arms bent and around waist level."

"The steps themselves are simple. Start with your feet together. Leaders, rock back on your right foot, putting all of your weight n it. Next, put your weight on the left foot, which completes the "rock step". Followers, you are of course mirroring your partner's steps." She smiled briefly at her Hufflepuff assistant, pleased with his performance.

"Next, step to your right with your right foot, then step to your left with your left foot and repeat. See how simple it is?" The two of them repeated the steps several times, then she turned to the music and turned on "Back to Love" by Charlie Wilson, setting the player to continue into the next set of songs automatically.

Caudwell bowed slightly to her and said "May I have the pleasure, Miss Williams?" She smiled at him for playing his part so well and replied with a brief curtsey "Thank you, Mr. Caudwell. I would be delighted."

She pointed out the closed position again and the steps as they moved through them. Midway through the song she said "There is a variation called the triple-step. In this variation, the partners start with their feet together and again perform the "rock step". After that, the leader steps to their right with their right foot, then brings the left foot over to join it. Placing their weight back on the right foot, the leader takes three quick little steps to the right then reverses it with three triple steps to the left." She beamed at Caudwell as he followed her directions and performed the maneuver. "Usually the triple steps to the right are on counts one and two, while the three to the left are on three and four."

Caudwell bowed to her as the dance ended and made as if to lead her off the floor. She permitted it saying "Mr. Caudwell shows his courtesy by escorting his partner off the floor to her seat or friends. Thank you Mr. Caudwell."

"Please find a partner and let's practice this. If you were at the last lesson, you can see how much easier these steps are." Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning" was just beginning. She moved over to a Slytherin boy who was watching the others, but not approaching anyone.

"Would you be so kind as to join me, Mr. Pritchard?"

He looked at her startled with a trace of fear which was quickly masked by a suggestion of a sneer. Sarah's smile widened as she saw a poor imitation of Draco Malfoy's trademark sneer, but stood expectantly. The boy took a deep breath and bowed to her then held out his hand and led her to the floor when she placed her hand in his.

Sarah called out the steps again, both for his benefit and the other students. He moved hesitantly through the steps at first, but with more confidence and poise with each repetition. "Once you're comfortable with the steps, don't forget to make conversation with your partner" she prompted the students. The reminder seemed to knock all conversation out of her partner's head until he finally said "What made you decide to offer dance lessons, Miss Williams?"

She chuckled as she realized he had moved the burden of conversation back to her. "A good Slytherin tactic" she acknowledged to herself before replying. "Mostly because when I was your age, I hadn't learned how to dance, but our school held dances several times a year. I was quite uncomfortable at each one. Then I had the opportunity to take lessons and my pleasure in the dances increased exponentially. I wanted to give the Hogwarts students that same enjoyment at their dances."

He bowed as the music ended and turned to leave, then paused and gave her his arm to lead her off the floor. "Very well done, Mr. Pritchard" she murmured as she accepted his arm.

Speaking more loudly she said "Now that you've mastered the closed position, let's learn the open position. Mr. Caudwell, if you would?" The Hufflepuff boy moved to the front of the class and bowed slightly to her.

"In the closed position, you will be facing your partner and standing approximately six inches away from one another. Try to maintain good posture with your head up and shoulders relaxed. Leaders, place your right hand slightly below your partner's left shoulder blade. Your right arm should remain firm at about a 90 degree angle from your body." She paused to let Caudwell move appropriately.

"Followers, after your partner has placed his or her hand on your shoulder blade, place your left arm on your partner's right arm. Your left hand should gently grasp your partner's shoulder or upper arm." Sarah rested her hand gently on the young man's shoulder.

"The leader then takes their partner's right hand in their left hand. The hands should rest comfortably at around waist or hip level. You'll notice that this is lower than they would be for other types of ballroom dances. Followers, rest your right hand in your partner's left hand. The steps are the same as we've already practiced."

Kristiania DeBarge's "Goodbye" was just beginning as she called for the students to continue practicing. She was pleased to see Owen Caudwell moving to an unaccompanied Ravenclaw and made a mental note to give the boy 20 points for his help.

By the end of the lesson, all of the students were smiling and enjoying the dancing. She dismissed them to get ready for dinner and was gratified by the number that thanked her for the lessons.

"Sarah, you would make an excellent teacher my dear" Charity said as Sarah packed up her things. The younger woman beamed a smile at the older.

"Thank you, Charity. I remember my own discomfort in my teen years at each school dance until I took lessons. I'm glad I was able to help a few of them avoid that same feeling. Have you decided on your costume for the Ball yet? You were leaning towards a Muggle mail carrier the last we spoke."

Charity chuckled. "I still am, although I may need to put an owl logo on the mail bag we discussed, just so everyone recognizes the significance of the uniform."

They headed to dinner, chatting amicably about the upcoming Halloween ball.

***************


	22. Masquerade

_Chapter 21, originally a notice of why additional chapters were delayed has been replaced with a description of the final dance lesson before the Halloween Ball. The story now continues._

**Chapter 22 – Masquerade**

Sarah grinned in anticipation as she approached the Great Hall, only slight annoyed at being a few minutes late. Severus refused to let her see his costume before the event, although he had kept the various computer print-outs she had given him.

She was delighted with her own appearance. Charity had cast a glamour on her hair to turn all but one strip a lovely pearl white. She wore a corset style top with a black skirt that included a high slit. After nearly a week of dreaming, her lace-up boots were complete, the appropriate color and wearable over her sheer black hose. A hooded cloak was clasped with a skull ornament, and her portkey and protection locket had been transfigured by Minerva to resemble an hourglass.

She shifted the dangerous looking scythe she had ordered online to be more upright, careful not to accidently hit anyone, and was again grateful for the featherlight charm Charity had given it. Stepping into the Great Hall, she smiled in delight at the room. The enchanted ceiling was sparkling with stars, across which bats occasionally fluttered. Pumpkins floated at varying heights, just out of reach of potential vandal's hands. Fireflies twinkled around the room.

Sarah grinned broadly as she saw a six foot tall Filius Flitwick accompanied by a tiny Headmaster Dumbledore. Pomona Sprout was dressed in all green and wearing breeches and green striped socks, carrying a small bucket of gold coins, which seemed to have a glamour making it appear as if a rainbow ended in the bucket. She waved at Charity who was dressed as a Muggle mail carrier, complete with a mail bag which sported a logo of a large owl carrying a note.

Entering into the hall, she turned as she heard Madam Pomfrey laugh and say "It seemed appropriate." Sarah couldn't contain her own laughter as she realized the mediwitch was dressed as an injured Quidditch player.

She noticed several Gryffindor students were dressed as Dominoes, all in black with white circles in domino patterns, mentally recognizing the Weasley twins and their younger brother Ron, Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. She laughed as she saw one of the twins leaned into the other and they all toppled over in an obviously rehearsed pattern. Clever boys!

She smiled approvingly at Hermione Granger, out of her normal studious attire for once. She was beautiful in an off the shoulder white bodice covered in crystals and a feathered down effect along with a knee length skirt decorated with beads, crystals and feathers. Her hair was in a tight chignon with small white feathers and crystals woven throughout. When she recognized that the young lady was wearing ballet slippers, she realized she was a swan from the Russian ballet "Swan Lake". Excellent choice.

Moving towards the back of the room where she knew Severus would be guarding the punch bowl, she chuckled at seeing Draco Malfoy's profile dressed as an angel, complete with halo, white wings, and an elegant white and gold robe. He turned to greet someone and then she realized while he was an angel on one side, he sported a horn, a red devil wing and a half red and black robe on the other side.

Her eyes rested on the young woman he greeted. Was that Millicent Bulstrode? Sarah turned her face away to keep from laughing. The young Slytherin was dressed in multiple gauzy shawls covered in sequins, bangles and was wearing thick glasses. She was obviously mocking Sybil Trelawney, but she had it down so well, Sarah was hard-pressed not to laugh.

Eventually she reached the back of the room and headed over to the tall figure with a scythe to match her own. He was in a deep purple robe so dark it was nearly black and a skeleton glamour over his face although his eyes glowed an eerie red. While one hand carried the scythe, the other carried an hourglass from which luminescent dust randomly trickled.

"Good evening Master Death. You are looking especially wicked this fine evening". She grinned at him.

He bowed graciously. "Miss Sto Helit."

She looked at the live band made up of a keyboard, two guitars and drums that would be providing the evening's entertainment. She didn't see speakers or microphones, so assumed the volume would be provided magically. She noticed a keyboard, two guitars, and drums. A fourth figure was apparently their lead singer who wasn't tuning and testing an instrument.

As the first music strains began, Sarah turned to Severus and smiled. "Aren't you going to invite me to dance?"

His sneer could not be seen through the skeleton glamour, but she was certain she heard it. "We are here as chaperones, not as hormonal adolescents, Miss Williams."

"But if you want to be truly incognito, you should dance at least a couple of times. Then the students won't think it's you behind the Grim Reaper and won't be on the look-out for you."

His glowing red eyes reflected the candlelight as he looked at her. Finally he rolled them and said "Fine. We'll dance." He cast a spell to shrink their scythes and they tucked them away before he held out his hand grudgingly.

She smiled demurely and said "I would be delighted dear sir. Thank you for the kind invitation" as she accepted his hand, giggling when he snorted at her comment.

Her amusement ended as he started waltzing with her. His movements were fluid and graceful, his steps certain, the light pressure to guide her steps confident. "Severus, you are a man of many hidden talents, I see. You are a superb dancer." she said with some surprise.

"You need not sound so astonished" he replied, spinning her around other couples on the floor.

She smiled up at him. "To be honest, I thought you might disapprove of the frivolity of dancing enough that you wouldn't have bothered to learn how to waltz so well. Instead, you are an accomplished and graceful dancer."

He relented enough to admit "My mother insisted that I learn how to waltz. She believed all young gentlemen should be able to do so."

After the first dance, they stood near the punch bowl just close enough to be able to intervene if a student tried to spike it. Sarah commented on the variety of costumes, chuckling at Severus' acidic comments.

The second dance was also an instrumental, so Sarah was shocked when the male lead singer began to croon a love song on the third song. She spun towards the band with shock and surprise on her face. "Oh my word" she gasped.

"Is there a problem?" Severus drawled, although his hand surreptitiously grasped his wand.

"Severus…I know that singer. We went to high school together. A normal non-magical high school. In the States! That's Derrick Conner! What in the world is he doing here?"

"Perhaps his family was incognito for a time, or he was home-schooled for magic" Severus suggested.

"I have no idea, but I'm going to find out as soon as he takes his first break."

The band had a brief intermission at the end of thirty minutes, although the keyboard played by itself as they left the stage. Sarah met the lead singer at the stairs as the players stepped down. "Derrick?"

The tall dark-haired young man looked curiously at the costumed woman before him. "Yes?"

"Derrick Conner?" she asked.

"Yes, that would be me" he answered good-naturedly. Then the woman's voice seemed to trigger a memory.

"Sarah? Is that you?"

"Derrick!" She sprang into his arms and hugged him around his neck. He responded by lifting her around the waist, picking her off her feet and swinging her around. "Sarah Williams!"

"What are you doing at Hogwarts?!?" They laughed as they both asked the same question.

"Ladies first" he said, keeping his arm around her shoulders and leading her to a table. He dropped the arm when they sat down, but clasped her hand instead.

"I'm the Muggles Studies Assistant this year."

"But…you're not a witch are you, Sarah?"

"Nope, not at all. But I ran across Diagon Alley and then Hogwarts and was lucky enough to be hired. I'm going to Royal Holloway during the day in their Creative Writing program and working here part-time. What about you? I had no idea that you were a wizard!"

Derrick's cheeks flushed slightly. "Actually, I'm only a step above a squib myself. My magical talents are so slight that I can't really be called a wizard. So I live in both worlds. Singing doesn't require much magic other than the Sonorous spell, and I can handle that."

They chatted amicably until his break was up. She returned to where Severus stood near the punch bowl, and was just explaining to him about Derrick when the singer's voice reverberated through the hall.

"I was delighted to learn that an old friend is here at Hogwarts. You might be surprised to learn that Miss Williams was quite the accomplished entertainer when she was your age. We starred together in our high school musical, Grease."

Sarah turned and shook her head sharply while making a visible "NO" cutting motion with her hands at Derrick, but he grinned unrepentantly at her.

"I'll bet with a little encouragement Miss Williams would join me in one of those songs. What do you think?"

The students tried to spot the Muggle Studies Assistant in the crowd and clapped politely. Sarah made the same "NO" motion towards Derrick, glaring angrily at him. "He's a dead man" she muttered under her breath. "I'm going to break every bone in his body, have Madam Pomfrey heal him, and then break them again slowly." Severus snorted behind his mask, enjoying her discomfort.

"Come on Sarah. Your students are interested. Let's give them "You're the One That I Want". A spotlight suddenly focused on Sarah and Severus gave her a push towards the stage. She turned and glared at him, but the students began applauding louder. Sarah turned towards the Headmaster in entreaty and groaned as she saw he was smiling and clapping himself.

She moved towards the stage in resignation, meeting Derrick on the stairs. "You are so dead" she muttered. "I haven't performed since that musical. I don't know if I remember the words, much less any of the steps. And I haven't even vocalized. Paybacks, Derrick. There _will_ be paybacks and you won't enjoy them."

"Oh come on, Sarah. You'll remember the words as soon as we begin. Since there's no set, we'll just move back and forth across the stage. Just remember what Mr. McDonald used to say."

She was still glaring at him in disgust, but her lips twitched slightly remembering their director. "Saucy, not sultry, Miss Williams" she said.

Derrick laughed. "I had forgotten that one. I was thinking of his 'Shoulders _and_ hips, Miss Williams. Shoulders _and_ hips!'"

Sarah gurgled in laughter at the reminder. "Oh that's right. I would have forgotten the whole shoulder movement again! I don't know why that was so hard to remember." She was still laughing as they reached the top of the stage. They took a minute to discuss the movements without the set, then she stayed on one side of the stage and prepared, running through the words in her mind while he went to the other side. He used his wand to apparently give the music to the other band members, and then it was too late to be worried as the strains of the song began and a spotlight hit her. She tossed her cloak back revealing bare shoulders and posed getting into Sandy's character, not noticing that the slit in her skirt now displayed her leg up to her thigh.

Derrick's voice rose in the character Danny's first verse as he crossed the stage to her, his eyes wide with apparent shock at her appearance.

_I've got chills  
They're multiplyin'.  
And I'm losin' control.  
'Cause the power  
you're supplyin',_

Sarah swung her cloak off as he approached and whipped the stage with it in time to the music before discarding it.

_  
it's electrifyin'!  
_

He dropped to the stage at her feet on his hands and knees, his eyes twinkling up at her. Sarah raised one boot to push him over and then strutted past him, confident that he would immediately rise and follow her.

_You better shape up,  
'cause I need a man  
and my heart is set on you.  
_

Reaching the other side of the stage, she turned and realized he had been using his hand as if enticed to grab her behind. She rolled her eyes and glared at him as she began stalking him backwards across the stage.

_You better shape up,  
you better understand  
to my heart I must be true.  
_  
He sang "_Nothin' left, nothin' left for me to do_" and they moved into the chorus as she strutted across the stage, remembering to use both shoulders and hip movements.

_ You're the one that I want.  
You're the one I want, oo,oo, oo, honey.  
The one that I want.  
You're the one I want want, oo,oo,oo, honey.  
The one that I want  
You're the one I want, oo,oo, ooooo  
The one I need.  
Oh, yes indeed.  
_  
As the chorus ended, he began moving closer to her until she felt his breath on her face. She began her next verse.

_If you're filled  
with affection  
you're too shy to convey,_

_Meditate in my direction…_

She raised her arms above her head and gave her body a distinct shimmy, letting her voice become sultry and slightly breathless.

_  
Feel your way.  
_

Sarah had to hide her laughter as he fell backwards with an exaggerated "WOW!" and then hid a groan as she heard similar comments from around the Hall. "Oh great, I'm going to have hormonal teenagers eyeing me after this" she thought. Derrick immediately moved into the next verse as she swayed across the stage and he followed.

_I better shape up,  
'cause you need a man  
_

She turned back towards him and stalked him for several steps "_I need a man- who can keep me satisfied_."

She turned and began moving back across the stage as he followed up "_I better shape up if I'm gonna prove_" and sang her own line "_you better prove, that my faith is justified."_

_Are you sure?_  
_Yes, I'm sure down deep inside._

_You're the one that I want.  
You're the one I want, oo,oo, oo, honey.  
The one that I want.  
You're the one I want want, oo,oo,oo, honey.  
The one that I want  
You're the one I want, oo,oo, ooooo  
The one I need.  
Oh, yes indeed._

They finished the song and the Hall broke into applause. Sarah relented enough to give Derrick a hug and then applauded the band as well before jumping off the stage. Severus held out the cloak he had picked up, but she took it without putting it back on, too warm from her exertions to want the added heat.

"You do realize that most of the male students and a few of the female students are going to be enamored with you because of that number" he smirked.

"I didn't think about it until the 'meditate in my direction, feel your way' line, but I'm afraid you're right. I'm so going to have to get Derrick back for that. And the Headmaster. What was Albus thinking by encouraging Derrick to pull me up on stage like that?"

"Albus enjoys entertaining the masses" he said dryly. "And look, here comes the first of your adoring fans." Sarah looked in the direction he indicated and she saw Roger Davies, a Ravenclaw student that had attended the dancing lessons approaching.

He glanced curiously at the tall Grim Reaper next to her, but didn't recognize the Potions Master. Bowing courteously, he asked "May I have the honor of this dance, Miss Williams?"

She curtseyed and said "Of course, Mr. Davies". As he moved her into the waltz, she couldn't resist teasing "Were you dared to dance with me, Mr. Davies?" His blush answered the question in place of words, and she laughed kindly, not wanting to embarrass the teen further.

She had little time to rest after that dance, as the ice seemed to be broken and the students weren't afraid to approach the youngest staff member for a dance. To her immense surprise, even Draco Malfoy asked her to join him for a rumba, although he admitted during the dance that there was no other female he thought could adequately partner him in the steps.

While she danced, Sarah was surprised to see the Severus in his Grim Reaper costume lead out Minerva McGonagall in a foxtrot and then Madam Pomfrey in a samba. He moved quite fluidly she realized, with feline grace.

She felt the power before she heard a silky voice purr "Sarah, may I have this dance?" She turned to see Jareth in full Goblin King regalia near her. He bowed elegantly and held out his hand to her. After a moment's hesitation, she accepted and he led her onto the dance floor as a waltz began.

She looked up at him and smiled in amusement. "Excellent choice of costume, Your Majesty".

He smiled down at her, drawing her imperceptibly closer. "This is one of the few nights of the year that mortals accept seeing the Goblin King without fleeing in terror". She felt a small pulse of his power swirl around them.

"Do you enjoy that or do you prefer them terrorized?"

"I prefer being able to hold you in my arms knowing you do not fear me, Sarah". His voice was low, husky and sent a slight shiver through her. He obviously felt it as he murmured "Although having you shiver in my arms is a heady feeling, Precious."

She tore her eyes away from his before she drowned in them and looked over his shoulder, then casually around them. They were nearly alone on the dance floor as the other couples had moved to the side and were watching them. She raised an eyebrow at him and he smiled unrepentantly.

"I prefer not to have others crowding us when we dance. Can you blame me for being selfish when I have the most beautiful woman in the room in my arms? They have your attention every day. I only have it for a few minutes much too infrequently."

Sarah chuckled warmly at his unabashed expression. "You are incorrigible, aren't you?"

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear "Would you have me any other way?" He drew her closer until she was nearly resting on his chest and they ended the dance in contented silence.

***************


	23. Goblins to the Rescue

**Chapter 24 – Goblins to the Rescue**

The day after the Masquerade, Sarah knelt by the bookshelves, patiently checking references of the sixth year's essays. This was one of the duties Charity had been delighted to give her. "My back and knees aren't what they used to be, Sarah. I so appreciate you doing this." She had grimaced while continuing "It's not that you can't trust the little…dears…but it sometimes seems to be a challenge to them to see how well they can 'fabricate' their footnotes."

Sarah had been aware of murmured discussions of voices for a while, but it wasn't until she heard a male voice include her name that she paid attention. The voice whispered loudly from someplace nearby "Can you believe how _hot_ Miss Williams was?" A female voice replied "She had a great outfit, although I didn't recognize who she was supposed to be. But who was the dreamy blonde in the black armor she danced with? And where did he get the great costume?" Another female voice added contemplatively "I tend to believe it was a costume he's worn frequently. I noticed that not only did it appear made for him, but it had some slightly worn spots, as if he wore it regularly. He also gave the impression of being too old to be a Hogwarts student; he seemed to be older than Miss Williams." A third female voice mentioned absentmindedly "He performed a nice bit of wandless magic by clearing the dance floor so that he could dance with Miss Williams alone. He was so obviously in love with her."

Feeling like a student herself, Sarah pushed the books on the shelf aside and curiously glanced through the small hole she had made. She recognized the fifth year students. Ron and Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood. The others were looking at the Ravenclaw girl with some surprise. Ginny responded "I didn't see the wandless magic, Luna. But you may be correct about him being in love with her. He couldn't take his eyes off her." She smiled dreamily. "What I wouldn't give to be looked at like that."

Harry looked at the redhead with puzzlement. "Like what, Ginny?"

"Like I was the only person in the world who mattered; like I was his heartbeat…"

"Oi Ginny! Let's not go all mushy now!" Her brother's face was contorted in amusement.

Hermione shushed the boy and glanced towards the Librarian's desk in warning. Not surprisingly, the woman was glaring at them for the noise. The students turned back to their homework and began to apply themselves diligently.

Sarah replaced the books and finished checking references mechanically. She circled the students quietly, not wanting them to be aware she had overheard them. Nodding to Madam Pince, she received a nod and a barely noticeable upturn of the lips in response. The Librarian had finally decided that Sarah had appropriate reverence for books and had begun to _almost_ soften towards her.

_______________

It was late at night, but Sarah couldn't sleep. "It serves me right for eavesdropping" she thought to herself. "But Jareth in love with me? Not likely. Attempting to seduce me, I can believe, but in love?" She paced her room, but decided she needed to walk off her energy. Grabbing her fall jacket, she walked down to the small exit near the teacher's lounge.

The night air was crisp, letting her see her breath in the moonlight. As she pulled on her gloves, Broul appeared from the shadows and glanced up at her.

With a small frown he said "Lady should be in bed."

"I know sweetie, but I need to burn off a little energy so that I can sleep. I thought I would walk to the gates and back. That is still within the wards and will be safe enough."

The little goblin muttered something quietly, but kept pace in the shadows as she strolled. Safe or not, he wasn't about to let the Lady walk in the dark alone.

They reached the gates and Sarah paused to look up at the star-filled sky. It was quiet and peaceful, cold enough to relieve the stuffy feeling she had experienced in her room, but not so cold that the fall jacket wasn't warm enough. Charity had warned her that she would definitely need full winter gear once the snow started.

She leaned on the gates and thought about Jareth. She had been certain she was only a challenge to him, but what if he wanted more? And did he even know what he wanted? He played so many games it was difficult to tell what was and wasn't a diversion to him.

A small moan interrupted Sarah's deliberation. She peered into the darkness beyond the gate. "Broul, did you hear that?"

He nodded his sharp eyes able to see much better than human eyes in the dark. "Someone be lying on the ground" he announced.

"Someone? Who?" Without waiting for an answer, Sarah lifted the latch, her status as a staff member automatically unlocking the magical gate. She followed Broul and saw a dark shape huddled near the gate. With only the night sky to light the area, it was difficult to see who it could be. Perhaps a Muggle lost in the hills?

A cloud moved past the moon and enough light filtered down on the face of the body. Severus Snape! His face was lined with pain, his breathing rasping and harsh, while his body was trembled.

"Severus! Can you hear me? Where are you injured?" Sarah tried not to panic, but the man was totally unresponsive. What had happened to him?

"Broul, you and Grep are able to pop in and out of places. Can you take someone with you? Can you take him to the Infirmary in the castle?"

"He's big, Lady" the little goblin said uncertainly. His face tightened in concentration and Grep appeared with a small pop beside them. "Lady wants him in the castle" he muttered to the second goblin.

Grep looked at Sarah's anxious face. "King might be mad" he whispered to the other goblin.

"Lady wants him in the castle" Broul repeated.

"Please Grep" Sarah whispered. The obstinate look immediately wavered and he nodded reluctantly. The two goblins held on to the unconscious man and disappeared.

Sarah quickly moved inside the grounds, slipping the latch in place and listening until it locked securely before running towards the castle.

It took the young Muggle nearly twenty minutes to reach the Infirmary. As she opened the door, she heard Madame Pomfrey's voice.

"I felt the warning of the wards when he was laid in the bed, but I have no idea how he got here, Albus. He's been subjected to the cruciatus curse repeatedly. You-Know-Who must have been in a foul mood. If he had been left without treatment much longer, the damage might have been permanent."

"He _will_ recover though, won't he Poppy?" The Headmaster's quiet voice seemed to beg for reassurance.

"Yes, Albus. While this was bad, we've seen him recover from worse."

The two moved away, leaving Sarah unable to hear them. "He's recovered from worse?" She remembered the first dream she had intruded on with Severus where he had been tortured. Was he tortured so regularly that the mediwitch was familiar with the cause and treatment? Her stomach rolled at the concept and she briefly fought to keep from being sick.

She slipped quietly into the room, hearing the headmaster and the mediwitch in the latter's office. She saw no one in any of the beds, but there was a screen around one corner of the room and she glided quietly towards it.

"Miss Williams" a quiet voice called commandingly. Sarah paused and looked up. "Poppy, Headmaster" she nodded at them. "I just wanted to make sure that Severus was all right."

The other two shared a quick glance and Sarah took advantage of their distraction to look around the screen. The Potions Master was pale and still on the bed, but she was relieved to see that the pain lines on his face were nearly gone. He seemed to be breathing easily rather than the harsh rasping he had done earlier as though each breath was agony.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and recognized the Headmaster from her peripheral vision, her eyes still focused on Severus' still form. "Come, my dear. Poppy will attend to him." When she hesitated, he added "You know that he wouldn't want anyone to see him this way."

That more than anything caused her to sigh deeply in resignation and step away from the injured man. Albus was correct; Severus was so proud and private that he would be extremely embarrassed knowing that others saw him in such a weak and vulnerable state.

She looked with at the mediwitch with worried eyes. "Poppy…". She paused. She couldn't ask what was wrong with him; that would be asking the witch to violate patient confidentiality. She amended her question to "How long before he's released?"

The mediwitch frowned slightly, looking at the young Muggle woman. She would likely be back at the first light without an answer, so the older woman relented enough to say "He will be released when he wakes up." She gestured at the door and added "_Both_ of you should leave and let him rest."

Sarah let Albus guide her to the door. After he closed it behind them, he looked at her intently. "How did you know Severus was here, Sarah?"

"Damn" she thought to herself as she immediately tried to figure out how to protect the goblins. "I found him by the gates. He must have…what do you call it…apparated into the infirmary, so I came up to make sure he was OK."

The blue eyes that had been looking so fixedly at her began twinkling and she realized he was trying not to laugh at her explanation. Sarah sighed and tried not to resent him for being so damn omniscient. "Albus, you know I'm not magical."

"I realize that, my dear. I also remember that one of the house elves came to your defense when a student misbehaved and that you mentioned that you had two little goblins that joined you when you left your home."

Sarah blinked. She had forgotten that she had admitted to her goblin protectors immediately before Jareth's first visit in the Headmaster's office. "The goblins brought Severus to the Infirmary" she admitted.

"Thank you, Sarah. If you had waited until you found someone in the castle, it might have been too late. Please give your little friends my sincere appreciation." He smiled kindly at her. "Why don't you head to bed, my dear? It's late and you must be tired."

"Thank you, Albus. I'll…try to sleep." She nodded politely and headed back to her rooms. First the Goblin King and then Severus. There was so much going on. She wondered if she would ever sleep again.

Once she was out of sight of the Headmaster, both Grep and Broul appeared from the shadows, silently flanking her. Apparently finding an injured man raised their concern for her safety. "Thank you both again for helping the Potions Master" she said quietly. "The Headmaster also wanted me to give you his personal thanks."

The two goblins exchanged a glance and then Broul commented "We's here to help and protect the Lady. The Lady needed the wizard moved." He shrugged his shoulders, dismissing the event. They walked quietly until they reached her rooms. She changed into her nightgown and focused on her meditation exercises. She didn't want to dream tonight.

***************


	24. Dreams or Nightmares?

**Chapter 24 – Dreams or Nightmares?**

Sarah walked briskly down the castle corridor heading towards the Infirmary to see Severus. She had walked for a minute or two before the sensation that something was wrong dawned on her. She looked around, trying to identify the problem. "Oh, there are no students" she realized. She walked closer to the wall and attempted to push her hand through the surface and smiled in understanding when the wall swallowed her hand. "Of course, I'm dreaming."

She continued to the Infirmary, not bothering to open the door, but passing through it with no effort. The bed in the corner was still portioned off, and she glided over to it. Severus lay quietly on the bed, his chest barely seeming to rise and fall as he slept. At least he wasn't struggling for each breath any longer or twitching in uncontrolled spasms.

"No, I won't intrude on his dream" she reminded herself. "I will not violate his privacy again." Even so, she felt a sense of protectiveness towards the fallen man. "Who did this to you, Severus? Who tortured you?"

A slight glow on his forearm drew her attention and with some hesitation, she pushed the sheet down and looked at the arm curiously. A large tattoo on his arm was glowing and she stared at it in fascination. "Show me" she whispered.

A sudden dizziness overcame her and she seemed to spiral towards the tattoo. The scene before her faded away and she seemed to be caught in a wild vortex, plunging through swirling images of people and places with a cloying sensation of malevolence so vast it shocked her even in her dream state. The vertigo was nearly overwhelming and unease began to grow within her. That apprehension grew as she spiraled through the chaotic maelstrom until it began to engulf her mind.

With no warning, she tumbled out of the vortex and a setting began to form around her. A figure sat in a chair, alone in the darkness. It was something of nightmares; humanoid in form with pale chalk-white skin and a face that was definitely not human. Red eyes with cat-like pupils were above where a nose should have been, but only slits appeared for nostrils. The mouth was unusually thin and she belatedly realized there were no lips, only an opening for the mouth. The figure appeared to be male and was templing its thin hands and unnaturally long fingers as it looked out in the darkness.

A hooded figure in a dark robe came out of the shadows and knelt before the figure. "My Lord, I came as soon as I could. How may I serve you?" Sarah gasped as she recognized the low tones of Severus Snape.

"I summoned you here to give me an explanation, Severus." Malice dripped from the seated figure's words.

"I am yours to command, my Lord" Severus said from his kneeling position, tipping his face towards the floor in homage. Sarah felt her stomach turn at the obsequiousness of the position.

"Are you, Severus? Then perhaps you will explain to me why I had to hear from other servants about a Muggle joining the staff at Hogwarts?"

"The only Muggle is the new Assistant in Muggle Studies, my Lord. Dumbledore took a liking to her and hired her. With no magical ability or standing in the wizarding world, I did not think she held any relevance. An ordinary and dreary Muggle did not seem worthy of your notice. However, I apologize if it appeared that I intentionally omitted the information."

A full minute passed as Severus kept his head bowed in deference while the other figure regarded him severely. Finally, he said in almost a gentle tone "If she is so irrelevant, why are there rumors about the two of you?"

Sarah felt her heart begin to race and held her breath to listen to Severus' response. "There have been rumors about me and every female witch at the castle at one point or another, my Lord. Even Minerva McGonagall and I have been linked, although she is nearly twice my age and was my instructor at one time. Sheer boredom seems to invent scandal when there are no authentic sources to garner attention."

"It is not for you to decide what is relevant to me! _Crucio_!" In horror, Sarah watched as the other figure cast on Severus, who dropped to the floor screaming in excruciating pain. The snake-line figure cast over and over on the writhing man as his voice became hoarse and then failed him, even though his body continued to thrash in agony. Eventually, his consciousness failed and he laid still.

The other "man" looked coldly on the unconscious form. After several minutes, he languidly waved his wand and said "_Ennervate_". Severus slowly regained consciousness, his body trembling. With slow and clumsy movements, he pulled himself to a kneeling position and bowed again to the seated figured.

"Look at me Severus" the figure commanded harshly.

The dark haired man raised his head and Sarah gasped at the deep pain lines etched on his face.

"_Legilimens_!"

After several long minutes, while the Potions Master's body twitched in torment, the figure said "I will be merciful this time, Severus. But never again make decisions on what is important for me to know. Leave me!"

In a hoarse whisper, Severus responded "Yes, my Lord. Thank you for your leniency." He staggered to his feet, almost falling, but finally stumbled away and faded from sight.

Sarah stared in horror at the sadistic inhuman figure before her. Severus had been tortured because of her? Guilt and rage battled within her, swamping her awareness. Finally her eyes narrowed and she willed herself invisible. She glided over towards him, although everything in her was screaming to escape from this loathsome creature. Instead she lowered her voice and began to whisper.

"Severus Snape is one of the few people I can trust. I have seen inside his mind and he cannot hide his thoughts from me. He always acts in my best interest. He is invaluable to me. I am fortunate to have him as a follower. I rely on him and have confidence in him. Those that try to discredit him are jealous of his abilities."

She continued softly repeating her whisper for several minutes, not sure if the monster heard her or not, but doing her best to protect the tortured Potions Master from further harm. Finally, she let herself fade away.

Sarah woke gasping in her bed with both Grep and Broul beside her. "Lady having bad dreams?" asked Grep, stroking her arm lightly.

The young woman tried to stop her shuddering. The overwhelming wrongness of the monster in her dream left her with a lingering revulsion and disgust. "Very bad dreams" she agreed in a trembling voice.

"Lady is weaving dangerously" Broul whispered as he patted her cheek softly. Grep stroked her arm until she stopped shivering. When she was certain that she could hold a pen, she reached for her sleep journal and wrote as much about the dream as she could. Finally, she lay down again and tried some deep breathing exercises.

"Lady sleep" Grep said quietly. "We watch." Both goblins snuggled against her, letting their warmth filter through the blanket, keeping guard over her for the remainder of the night.

_______________

Sunday morning found Sarah awake and dressed early. She first went to the Infirmary, but Severus was no longer behind the partitioned area. It wasn't time for breakfast, but she wondered if Albus was up yet. Heading to his office, she was pleased when the gargoyle moved away at her approach. The door to the Headmaster's office was open when she reached the top of the stairs.

Albus' friendly welcome arrived immediately. "Good morning, Sarah. Please come in."

She stepped into his office and felt both affection and a slight irritation at the knowing smile on the old wizard's face.

"Good morning, Albus. I see you anticipated my questions this morning."

He smiled cheerfully and waved her to a seat. "I may not be able to answer all of your questions, but I will answer what I can."

Sarah wondered briefly if other people got exasperated seeing the damn omnipresent twinkle in the Headmaster's eyes. "Albus, I read "_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_" shortly after my arrival. I learned about a dark wizard who called himself Lord Something-or-other. I read how Harry Potter figured into his downfall as well as how the wizard's known followers were either sent to prison or exonerated. One such follower was identified as Severus Snape, for whom you vouched."

She paused briefly as the Headmaster's face showed a momentary flicker of surprise, which settled into appreciation as he met her eyes benevolently. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "I visited a dream of Harry Potter's before I was aware of my…status. I saw Umbridge torturing the poor boy and saw the visible marks of her abuse on him in class. She was deliberately harming him because he said the dark wizard had returned."

Sarah paused again as the Headmaster's face darkened and power began to fill the room. It wasn't just the phenomenon that accompanied the Goblin King, but a sensation of fury barely restrained. Her face must have shown her apprehension as the oppressing power immediately lightened.

"My apologies, my dear. I am still a bit disturbed that someone dared to harm one of the students under my protection". His voice was mild, but there was cold iron behind the words as well.

"I understand, Albus. I was…disturbed…myself." Her eyes darkened as she remembered the deliberate dream vengeance she had visited on the toad-like woman. She let the anger go to focus on a more immediate need. "And speaking of dreams, I dreamt last night."

She was rewarded with his immediate and focused attention. "I did not enter Severus' dream, but I dreamt of a very disturbing figure. Humanoid in appearance, but just barely with red eyes, slits for nostrils, pale skin and only a slash for a mouth. In my dream, he tortured Severus because he didn't tell him about _me_. So tell me Albus, is this the same Lord what's-his-name that tried to overthrow the wizarding world 15 years ago?"

For several long moments, the Headmaster's eyes met hers. She didn't feel his touch on her mind and wondered if he would risk it considering Jareth's warning the first time he appeared. Finally, Albus responded. "His name is Tom Riddle, but he renamed himself Lord Voldemort. When he killed young Harry Potter's parents and tried to kill Harry, his killing curse was reflected back at him. He wandered incorporeally until last year, when he was able to regain a physical form in a particularly foul blood ritual."

His eyes met hers and he spoke in firmly "Sarah, you must do all that you can to stay away from him. Do not visit his dreams. He is an extremely powerful wizard, skilled in mental abilities and ready to use any and all dark arts to achieve his goals."

"He didn't seem to notice me in his dream last night, but I'm hoping it will have a lasting effect." At his curious glance, she added "I was torn between shame that Severus had been tortured for not mentioning me and an incredible desire for vengeance." At his slight show of unease, she continued "I did retaliate, but I spoke to him hoping to influence his behavior towards Severus. I tried to speak as if it was his own thoughts, using phrases such as 'I trust Severus, I've seen inside his mind and he cannot hide his thoughts from me and those that try to discredit him are jealous of his abilities, et cetera.' I spent several minutes repeating those comments, but only Severus will know whether it will do any good or not."

She paused and then added "Unless I hear differently, my assumption is that Severus has your absolute trust and that his involvement with Tom Riddle is with your knowledge and approval."

The Headmaster smiled and stood up. "It is nearly time for breakfast Sarah. I hope they have waffles this morning. I do so enjoy them with strawberry syrup." He had the audacity to twinkle his eyes at her again and she smiled wryly in amusement at the not-so-subtle change in topic.

"I've always been partial to boysenberry myself, Albus. But whatever the house elves send up is always quite good."

***************


	25. Do You Think They're Engaged?

**Chapter 25 – Do You Think They're Engaged?**

Jareth frowned after dismissing Broul and Grep. He had given them the ability to monitor Sarah's dreams after discovering that she had moved beyond his dream walking gifts into dream weaving just in case she became trapped and needed help. As they reported on her dreams, he grew disturbed because of what she was dreaming and doing.

Once Sarah discovered the wizarding world, she began treading dangerously close to their latest self-proclaimed "Dark Lord". Where it not for her, he would only be amused at the human's obsession with a lust for power and at his petty machinations. Even if Jareth were inclined to support one side or the other, his kind would not interfere with mortal political struggles and mortals would not interfere with Fae claims on mortals due to the ancient Compact.

He growled in frustration. "Sarah, I cannot support either side in this wizard conflict. What are you thinking? Why are you potentially bringing yourself to this aspiring dictator's notice? How am I supposed to protect you when you foolishly fling yourself into harm's way?"

With a fierce scowl that caused his subjects to flee from his presence, he sent out a message to all his Aboveground subjects to double their surreptitious safeguarding of his Chosen. Then he made a stop at the wizard's magic school and left a pink azalea bud on the desk in the public room of her chambers.

_______________

"No thank you, , I don't need help carrying my books."

"Thank you, but I will be a chaperone at the next Hogsmeade weekend, not a participant Mr. Macmillan"

"Instead of a moonlight stroll, perhaps you would find your time better spent on writing a two foot essay on appropriate courtesy towards instructors, Mr. Pucey".

"10 points from Ravenclaw for inappropriate remarks to a staff member, Mr. Boot"

Charity smiled at Sarah's exasperated scowl as she finally resorted to deducting house points from her more tenacious admirers. "Was an invitation to join him for dinner really worth 10 points, Sarah?"

"That was the third time he invited me. I let him down nicely the first time. I made it clear that I would not date a student the second time. If it takes involving the rest of his house to curtail Mr. Boot's romantic fixation, then so be it."

The warm chuckle earned Charity a glare from her young Assistant. "I tried to refuse Derrick's invitation to sing, but noooo, everyone kept applauding even Albus! He had to have known that it would get me unwelcome attention from hormonal teenagers. I swear the man has a sadistic streak that he keeps hidden under those blasted twinkling eyes."

The chuckle turned into outright laughing and Sarah's lips eventually began to twitch in response. "You're not helping Charity."

"Oh, you would be laughing too if it was anyone else. And you're handling it just fine. Besides, what's this I heard about you and Severus taking a moonlight stroll?"

"We didn't take a moonlight stroll! I joined him to gather Tormentil roots. If they're harvested during the day, they can be used for allergy potions, but when harvested during the full moon, Severus uses them in some type of digestive potion as well as a remedy for gastroenteritis. He's not allowed to take detention students out that late, so I volunteered to help."

The older woman grinned. "I'm just teasing you, Sarah."

Sarah did have to admit that her weeks had been rather full lately. Besides her own classes and homework, she assisted with afternoon classes and graded the first through third year essays. Once or twice a week, she and Severus spent a few hours in the Staff Lounge where he was teaching her wizard's chess. That also allowed them some time for private discussions while remaining in public.

And then there was Jareth. After the evening sailing and the dance at the Masquerade ball, he had begun inviting her to a weekly _rendezvous_ as he called it. With some persuasion to trust him and a few well-placed conditions on her part, Jareth had begun taking her to surprise locations. With the admonition to dress warmly, he transported them to the Arctic where they watched the Aurora Borealis while bundled in a sled he had made for the occasion. The following week, he recommended light apparel and they appeared on a warm beach where they had a picnic and watched the sun set over the water. The third week they attended the ballet to see Romeo and Juliet and the fourth week when she expressed her desire for an Italian dinner, he took her to dinner and dancing…in Italy.

The morning after each tryst, Sarah awoke to find a single flower on her desk. A white carnation was followed by a red chrysanthemum. A lovely white Jonquil was followed by a red tulip.

Sarah stopped by the library and after a brief whispered conversation with Madam Pince, she sat down with "_The Language of Flowers_". Within a few minutes, she had a rosy blush on her cheeks. The azalea that she had first found on her desk before the series of outingsbegan was listed as meaning "take care of yourself for me". The white carnation was portrayed as "sweet and lovely, innocence and pure love". The red chrysanthemum depicted "my heart aches for you". And the jonquil he had left after they saw Romeo and Juliet was said to express "love me and a desire for a return of affection". And finally, the red tulip represented "believe me regarding a declaration of love". *

"Can he be trusted?" she wondered. "Is he being charming and attentive to win her heart only to discard it after he succeeded?" If he was a normal man, she couldn't see him going to such an effort. But he was an immortal Fae. What was a few weeks spent on a game or a subtle revenge to one that lived thousands of years?

_______________

Sarah read through and marked the second year essays at her desk, occasionally looking up at Broul to catch him watching her intently. He was sitting on the corner of her desk making another paper clip chain, but would stop to stare at her fixedly for several seconds before returning to his game.

Finally, she stopped and stretched, and then smiled at the little goblin. "What is it Broul?" You seem to have something on your mind."

"Just thinking, Lady. Don't want to be nosy."

"Nosy? What are you curious about? You can ask me anything. Of course, I may not answer, but you can ask."

"Lady…" he paused and then his words tumbled out "areyougoingtomarrytheking?"

Sarah chuckled. "Again but a little slower there Broul."

"Are you going to marry the King, Lady?" Broul's eyes were childlike and hopeful.

Sarah leaned back in her chair staring at the goblin with wide eyes. "Marry the King? What makes you ask that?"

"King watches over the Lady, takes care of her. Other ladies…" the goblin shrugged his little shoulders. "Other ladies the King courts, but doesn't _care, _doesn't guard them, doesn't worry." He looked up at her with a mischievous grin, glanced around the quiet room as if looking for prying eyes and then leaned forward and whispered "King doesn't even court other ladies since Lady came here."

"The King is attractive, charming and witty. However, while I do enjoy his company these days, I doubt that he's interested in…a long-term relationship." At the goblin's puzzled look she added "I doubt he's interested in me as his Queen."

The goblin frowned and added another paper clip to his chain. Finally he looked up at her puzzled. "Why Lady?"

Sarah rubbed the back of her neck, then stood and paced over to the fireplace. She watched the flames dance as she tried to find the words to explain to her small companion. Finally, she turned back to him, finding his eyes fixed on her face. "Well sweetie, the King takes me places, he's entertaining and charming, but our conversations aren't about anything important. He doesn't speak to me about his kingdom, his responsibilities, his goals or his troubles. If he wanted me to consider him as a life partner, I would expect him to talk to me about those types of things, to share his thoughts."

The little goblin seemed to consider that as he let the paper clip chain slide back and forth across his lap. "Does the tall man, the Potions Master, talk to the Lady like that?"

"Professor Snape?" Now what made Broul bring Severus up? "Sometimes he does, Broul. Other times, he just needs someone to listen to his frustrations. And sometimes he listens to my frustrations."

Broul's small face seemed despondent and she walked over to him and rubbed his back. "Broul, no matter what happens, you and Grep are always welcome wherever I am. I hope you know that."

He looked at her with troubled eyes but only said "Thank you, Lady."

_______________

As they picked up assignments after the last class of the day, Charity said "I forget sometimes that you're not here all day, Sarah. Albus mentioned this morning at breakfast that the last dinner before the Christmas holiday will be a formal event. Fourth year and above students will be in dress robes. I know you have your teaching robes, but do you have formal robes?"

"No, I only knew to pick up the teaching robes. What is the difference for dress robes?"

"The style, material and trim, mostly. Velvet is popular in the winter, while silk is fashionable in warmer weather. I'll be wearing navy crushed velvet with silver trim. You will likely find something at Gladrags in Hogsmeade or Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley."

"Thank you for the heads up, Charity. That gives me time to look and not be rushed into choosing something. Maybe I'll see what I can find on Saturday."

Saturday morning found Sarah walking to Hogsmeade to visit Gladrags. A light blanket of snow covered the area, reminding her that Christmas was fast approaching. "Perhaps I can begin my holiday shopping today as well", she thought as she walked.

The feeling of power surrounded her and she paused. With a swirling of the snow, Jareth appeared and smiled down at her in a manner that made her heart race. "No one should be allowed to look so good" she thought. He was in black leather pants with black boots, with a midnight blue heavily embossed leather vest visible under his shimmering black cloak. He smiled warmly at her. "Good morning, Sarah. I hope I am not intruding?"

"Not at all. I'm simply heading to Hogsmeade to go shopping."

He offered her his arm. "May I accompany you?"

She smiled and slipped her hand under his arm, resting it lightly on his forearm. "I would be delighted, thank you."

To her surprise, he laid his other hand over hers, and left it there as they walked. "What delights bring you out shopping this morning?"

"The school is having a formal dinner in a few weeks, and I need something other than the standard teacher's robe, plus Christmas is coming soon so I thought I would browse the shops." She grinned up at him from under her eyelashes. "You might regret offering to accompany me. Few men enjoy shopping."

"Then few men have the pleasure of your company, Precious Thing. Spending time with you is always a pleasure, whether it's shopping, dining or watching the stars come out." He smirked as the color rose in her cheeks.

As they entered Hogsmeade, Sarah wasn't surprised to find many glances coming their way. Jareth was a striking man; tall, slender, graceful and he carried a distinct air of authority and power with him. He would always garner attention wherever he went, she thought.

They stopped at Gladrags and he raised an elegant eyebrow at the name of the shop. "Surely Sarah, a shop that identifies itself with rags isn't suitable. I would be happy to have the seamstresses in the Castle make something for you rather than have you dress in scraps and tatters."

She chuckled and stepped inside the shop, murmuring "The name doesn't represent the quality of the items."

A middle-aged witch in crushed velvet robes came over to greet them. "Good morning, Miss….Williams isn't it? You bought your teaching robes here before the semester started, as I recall." She boldly looked at the pair, admiring how the man's light hair and dark clothes played against the young woman's dark hair and lighter clothes.

"Good morning Mrs. Warbeck. You have an excellent memory. I find I need dress robes for the holidays. What do you recommend?"

The older woman evaluated the young Muggle. "Take your cloak off, dear. Yes…with your coloring I would recommend one of the jewel tones. Crimson red, sapphire blue, emerald green…" She walked around Sarah thoughtfully. "What style are you considering?"

"What do you recommend, Mrs. Warbeck?"

The witch turned and waved her wand at some of the mannequins and several robes appeared. "Are you shopping for something for the school or for other holiday events?"

"The school" Sarah said firmly. "It needs to be dignified." She didn't want to re-ignite any teenaged hormones.

To Sarah's surprise, Jareth approached the mannequins. "This one is too drab and this one too plain. He eyed two of the other styles critically as Sarah watched in amusement. He swung his cloak back as he walked around the mannequins, evaluating them from all angles. "Sarah, do you like this style" he asked indicating the one on the far right.

"I like the v-neck and the long sleeves, but it seems a bit plain."

"Easily remedied, my dear" Mrs. Warbeck interjected. She hid a smile at the man's strong opinions. Young love was always entertaining to watch. "We could add some embroidery or crystals to the bodice and cuffs. We are happy to customize any of our robes to fit the occasion and client. Would you like me to show you some fabrics and embellishment options?"

They spent an hour looking at different fabrics and colors. Jareth supported the jewel tones, disagreed with sequins as too ordinary, but approved crystals and golden thread as embellishments. The three were debating between a deep green and a ruby red when Mrs. Warbeck commented "I received some interesting fabric just the other day that you might like. There were shades of copper and bronze that might be quite striking with your coloring and the highlights in your hair."

When Jareth saw the bronze material, he had Mrs. Warbeck drape it over Sarah's shoulder and turned her towards the mirror. "While you would be beautiful in any color Sarah, this is unusual and striking."

Sarah lightly stroked the fabric. It had an almost iridescent sheen to it, and picked up highlights in her hair she rarely noticed. She smiled first at Jareth and then Mrs. Warbeck. "I like it."

They agreed on long sleeves with embroidery at the cuffs and around the neckline. The bodice below the v-neck would be embellished with crystals down to a band at the natural waist. At Jareth's suggestion, some crystals would also be added to the floor length skirt to catch the light as Sarah walked. Mrs. Warbeck promised it would be ready in a week, and recommended Sarah look for metallic accessories.

Jareth smiled and tucked Sarah's hand on his arm as they left the clothing shop. "I think you will be pleased with the final robe, Sarah. Where would you recommend we have luncheon?"

Sarah was surprised to see how much time had passed and smiled warmly at Jareth. "Thank you for spending so much time helping me choose the outfit, Jareth. Most men wouldn't have been so patient or so helpful."

He moved closer to her as they walked. "It gives me pleasure to spend time with you, Sarah."

She blushed and remembered his question. "The Three Broomsticks is a local inn that serves meals and drinks. Shall we see what their menu is for lunch?"

The inn was filled with many seventh year students; the oldest students didn't need to wait for a scheduled weekend to visit Hogsmeade and used the Three Broomsticks as one of their favorite haunts. Most of them recognized the Muggle Studies assistant and eyed her handsome escort curiously.

Jareth guided them to a free table in the corner and with a casual wave of his hand and the air momentarily sparkled around them. At her curious glace he murmured "a simply privacy spell so that we may speak without young ears listening."

They agreed to start with a platter of sliced fruit, followed by smoked salmon and seared artichokes. When they were alone again, Jareth asked "How are your dreams, Sarah? Do you need any assistance in controlling your new abilities?"

"You should have seen me last month. I spent a week changing some existing boots to use in that Halloween costume. I couldn't believe how much more difficult it was than making a two dimensional mural. It took a full week before I had the all aspects created. It's obviously not something I'll be doing often."

He raised an eyebrow and then shook his head. "You never cease to amaze me, Sarah. Manipulating physical matter like that is extremely difficult. I am astonished that you were able to do it in a single week. The mural you created in the Underground was simply an image quickly imprinted on a well. You did not change every individual tile to create the mural." If she was able to change such small details in such a controlled manner, then she's much stronger than he had anticipated. "You should be proud of that accomplishment. I know I am impressed."

He smiled as her cheeks flushed at his comments. "How are your studies going at the University? Is it difficult moving between being a student and being an instructor as well as moving between a mundane and magical world?"

Over a long lunch, he drew her out about her experiences, her classes, professors and students. He laughed at her descriptions of her London professors and compared them to some of the figures he worked with in the Underground. They spent several hours walking through the shops, garnering the attention of many students. The students grinned at how engrossed the couple was with one another.

Jareth's Fae hearing picked up some of the conversations around them and couldn't help smirking.

"Who is that gorgeous man?" "I don't know, but Miss Williams certainly seems taken with him." "They seem…I don't know…_immersed_ with one another." "Who do you suppose he is?" "Do you think they're engaged?"

They strolled back to the castle in the afternoon, Sarah's arm again tucked in his, his hand covering hers. Near the gate, Sarah paused and looked up to find him smiling warmly down at her. "Thank you for today, Jareth. I sincerely enjoyed the day and our conversations."

"I enjoyed it was well, Sarah." He had been surprised at how much pleasure he found in their conversations over the course of the day. She listened to his stories about his steward and chamberlain, about the mayor of the goblin city beyond the castle and about some of the political intrigues he was watching. Few Fae women cared about the mundane aspects of his role, but Sarah appeared sincerely interested.

Sarah leaned up on tiptoe and he inclined his head towards her, delighted when she pressed a warm and gentle kiss on his lips. He lighted her hand to his and kissed her fingers softly. "Until next time, Precious."

***************

* The meaning of the flowers came from /infoflowermeaning


	26. An Enraged Goblin King

**Chapter 26 – An Enraged Goblin King**

The Potions Master slammed the door of the room where Sarah was completing her karate workout cool down exercises. His face was dark and scowling, his voice a dangerous blend of smoke and velvet. "Should we question your mental faculties, Miss Williams? What were you thinking invading the Dark Lord's dreams!" He towered over her, the anger radiating off him.

Sarah finished wiping her face and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head to a point near her feet before she smiled gently at him. "Good evening Severus. I'm fine, thank you for asking. I gather Albus finally mentioned my dream weaving with Mr Pale Ugly and Red-eyed?"

The Potions Master narrowed his eyes. "This is not a trivial matter! Any contact with the Dark Lord endangers your life!"

"I understand that, Severus" she replied calmly. "I have no intention of deliberately putting myself at risk. I was within his dream and spoke as if it was his own mind speaking to him. I was very careful not to call attention to myself. However…" she looked at him with a scowl of her own. "…I will _not_ stand by and ignore the fact that you were tortured because of me."

He opened her mouth and she cut him off with an abrupt movement of her hand. "No! I will not cower in the shadows and pretend that it's fine if you're tortured, especially when there is an alternative that can be tried. I'm not stupid enough to believe that I can save all people from all harm, but I'll be damned if I will stand by and let that madman harm you on my behalf and not raise a finger…or should I say thought…to prevent it."

"You don't know what he's capable of, Sarah. He thinks nothing of causing the most excruciating pain on a whim."

"Like what he caused you? Then yes, I know what he's capable of. I know he's a vile and insane sadist who wants to rule the world. Perhaps he and Umbridge should get together. I'm sure they could produce a whole family of red-eyed toad-faced deranged offspring." She shuddered briefly at the thought before laying her hand on his arm. "Severus, I know that you aren't used to being protected, but this was something I had to do. If it turns out to be successful, then it was worth the risk. _You_ are worth the risk."

Sarah was surprised and then bereft at the dumbfounded expression on the tall man's face. Did he really have no one to care for him and protect him? Was the concept so alien in his experience? Without thinking, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. "You are worth the risk" she repeated.

The Potions Master stiffened in shock when the she hugged him. She felt the tension in his frame and squeezed him gently, before releasing him and stepping back. "I promise I won't attempt it again, Severus" she said quietly. She picked up her equipment and started to head out of the room. Over her shoulder she added "Unless there's a really good reason" and made a dash for her room as a bellow was heard from the room behind her.

_______________

The weeks before the holiday break were very busy. Sarah had her own university classes and exams to complete, as well as the Hogwarts classes. In addition, there was the holiday shopping to complete, especially anything being sent to the United States. She needed to make sure those gifts were sent early enough to avoid missing Christmas before the mail was choked with holiday volumes. On the first Saturday in December, she sent off her packages to the States and decided to focus on the shopping list for her Hogwarts friends.

Unfortunately, Voldemort also had plans for the holidays. From one day to the next, he ordered his Death Eaters to execute a hit-and-run attack on Hogsmeade, designed to do as much damage as possible in the smallest feasible window of time.

Sarah had exited Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop when screams began echoing down the street. She was stunned at seeing the dark-robed and masked Death Eaters casting curses at the shoppers and residents. She momentarily hesitated, wondering if she should return to the store or make a run for Hogwarts. That indecision was all it took for her to be hit with a curse.

Pain exploded in her chest as her skin ruptured and blood spurted out, quickly soaking her jumper and cloak. She staggered backward and collapsed against the store window, grasping at her chest as her knees buckled. Her agony-filled eyes looked out at the street, and she wondered how her death would be explained to her parents.

An odd sound caught her attention as darkness began creeping in on her vision. "Almost like…popcorn popping" she thought with detached amusement. She absently realized that dozens of small green figures were filling the street when she felt a hand on her arm and the following disorientation allowed the darkness to claim her.

_______________

Charity Burbage was distraught when she discovered that Sarah was one of the victims of the Death Eater attack, regardless of Madam Pomfrey's assurances.

"She will recover, Charity. She was brought directly to the infirmary and I was able to heal the wounds and apply Dittany." The mediwitch was concerned that the young woman might have scarring even so, but she didn't mention it.

The professor drew a shaky breath. "I feel as if it's all my fault. If she hadn't been hired for my class, this never would have happened."

"Nonsense, Charity" the mediwitch said sharply. "This was You-Know-Who's fault, not yours." She looked at the shaking witch with concern. "Come with me. I want you to take a calming draught. I'm sure Albus is going to call a staff meeting shortly and you'll want to maintain a clear head."

The two witches began to walk away, but stopped in shock when a deafening thunderous crack echoed throughout the infirmary. They reached for their wands, but paused when a furious Goblin King appeared. Deadly rage rolled off him in waves causing the windows to rattle in their frames. He glared at the two witches before he scanned the room. Sarah's pale face haloed by her dark hair arrested his attention and he was at her side in moments. The witches and other patients were ignored as the unconscious woman filled his awareness. He leaned over her quiet form and stroked her face tenderly with gloved fingers. After a few moments, he removed the glove and caressed her cheek with his bare hand. A soft glow began around his hand and slowly expanded until it sheathed her still frame.

Sarah felt a compulsion drag her from the darkness that had claimed her. As she struggled to awaken, she felt a tender caress on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and slowly her vision cleared to reveal the Fae's mismatched eyes.

A soft smile tugged at her lips. "Jareth" she whispered. Everything would be fine now, she thought to herself. Jareth was here. "I think I weaved when I should have dodged."

"Shh, Precious Thing. Sleep and rest." She felt safe in his presence and let the sleep he imposed claim her. Jareth caressed her cheek for several minutes before he sighed and stood straight. He felt eyes on him and turned to scowl with renewed fury at Dumbledore who was waiting quietly.

"There _will_ be retribution, old man" he snarled. The power radiating from the Fae made it difficult for the wizard to breathe and he unconsciously took a step back.

Before Dumbledore could respond, Jareth snapped out "Broul! Grep!" Instantly two goblins appeared at his side and bowed deeply, afraid to meet his eyes. "Both of you will remain here guarding the Lady until I tell you otherwise" he commanded. They nodded quietly, frightened of their King in his rage and ashamed that the Lady had been injured while under their protection.

Jareth turned back to Sarah and bit out "_Amin ya i'ista_". A blue ribbon lifted from the young woman's chest and approached the Goblin King. He nodded curtly. "Guard her well" he commanded the goblins. With another earsplitting crack of thunder he disappeared, leaving those in the room nearly gasping for breath as the heaviness of his magic vanished.

_______________

Voldemort's follower's cowered in deferential remorse as he raged at them for the routed attack. "House elves! You dare to tell me that dozens of _house elves_ mysteriously appeared and sent my Death Eaters running scared? Since when do house elves take offensive action!"

"i..I've never seen the like, my Lord" Amycus Carrow stuttered, cringing when Voldemort focused his attention on the kneeling man. He had led the raid and knew he would bear responsibility for the failure.

Before Voldemort could response, a powerful wind whipped through the closed room immediately followed by a deafening crack of thunder. The wizards reached for their wands, but found themselves paralyzed in place. A tall figure appeared despite the anti-apparation wards around the chamber. He stalked gracefully to the front of the room, clad in black armor, his cloak billowing behind him. The power radiating from the man was so potent it nearly overwhelmed their senses.

He dismissed the subordinates and focused his attention on the red-eyed leader at the front of the semi-circle of figures. He inclined his head slightly in haughty disdain; his voice was silken and condescending.

"My sincere apologies for interrupting your little gathering. I assume you are the latest self-appointed 'Dark Lord'?" Without any movement on the Fae's part, Voldemort was able to speak.

"You dare…" he snarled before being silenced again.

Jareth smiled slowly. "Oh yes, I dare. I am here because your…minions…violated the Compact between this world and the Fae. The Compact clearly states that no one will interfere with a mortal claimed by a Fae." His eyes narrowed and his silky voice chilled. "Your little brawl damaged a mortal I claimed."

He stared coldly at Voldemort for several long moments, allowing the man to fight the paralysis and silence, letting him see his vulnerability.

"I have no interest in your petty machinations as long as my goblins and house elves are not impacted. Perhaps in another thousand years or so, if you are still alive, I might even find you worthy of discourse. But for now, you would do well to stay away from any location that could potentially involve the woman Sarah Williams. If she is harmed again, I will be within my rights as identified by the Compact to take whatever action is necessary to protect what I have claimed." He looked casually at his nails and added in an offhand manner "If she fails to survive, then by the terms of the Compact, I will claim you, your followers and their families in reparation."

He casually waved at a nearby death eater who had a mild blue aura ribbon around him. The paralyzed man was dragged in front of Voldemort and the semi-circle. Then the inconceivable occurred. The Fae must have released the paralysis on the man's vocal cords as earsplitting screams echoed around the chamber. His robes were consumed in fire, leaving the naked body visible. A large rupture appeared from the top of his skull down his torso and each limb. In the appalled and forced silence, the assembled Death Eaters watched as the man's skin peeled back and in upon itself, drenching the floor in blood, muscle and organs. Only Voldemort's eyes reflected coldness rather than horror at the sight.

The Fae glanced contemptuously at the bloody corpse. "That one cast the spell that harmed the mortal I claimed. I will be…less forgiving for a second offense."

He inclined his head once to Voldemort and then with a second thunderous crack he disappeared. It was another minute before their paralysis was released.

Voldemort was the first to respond to being released and snapped out one word. "Lucius."

Lucius Malfoy swallowed hard and bowed. "Yes, my Lord?"

"I want a copy of this so-called Compact and all of its terms, as well as everything known about the Fae. Leave now and return tomorrow at this time with the information."

"Yes, my Lord. I will see to it immediately." Lucius bowed and left the room on shaky legs.

"Severus."

The Potions Master stepped out of the semi-circle and bowed. "Yes, my Lord?"

"His 'claimed' is the name of the muggle at Hogwarts?" At Severus' confirmation he continued "I want you to find out from the muggle who that Fae is and everything she knows about him as well as Dumbledore's response to the raid. Return at this time tomorrow."

"Yes, my Lord." He bowed and left the room.

"Wormtail, clean this mess up. The rest of you learn what you can about the Compact and Fae as well. Oh and Amycus…"

"Yes my Lord?"

"_Crucio_!"

Voldemort was not pleased.

***************

"_Amin ya i'ista"_ can be translated as "_Mark the spell's caster_"


	27. The Compact and The Fae

**Chapter 27 – The Compact and The Fae**

Albus Dumbledore entered his office and allowed the door to lock behind him. He sat behind his desk and then called "Grechler!"

An elderly house elf appeared in his office with a light pop and inclined his head respectfully. "Yes Headmaster? How may I serve you today?"

"Grechler, you have been a loyal member of Hogwarts for generations and have led the staff for a very long time. If I want to know what the house elves think of a situation or I need a matter resolved, you are the one I call, and you always provide exemplary service."

The house elf smiled slightly and bowed deeply. "Thank you Headmaster. I am pleased to serve the esteemed Hogwarts school."

"I have a very important question to ask you, Grechler." The house elf looked intently at the old wizard. "Why did some of the house elves leave Hogwarts and fight the Death Eaters that were attacking Hogwarts?"

Grechler moved his eyes from the Headmaster's and looked over the man's shoulder. "Grechlor is not certain he is knowing the answer to that question."

"Hmm, perhaps you could tell me why your command of the language deteriorates when you don't want to answer a question?"

The old house elf's lips twitched briefly, but he continued looking over the Headmaster's shoulder. "The house elves at Hogwarts are very loyal to the professors and students. We are pleased to work here and provide good service. However, there are times that additional orders must be obeyed."

"And you had such an order?"

The old house elf nodded once. There was a long silence while Dumbledore stared attentively at the elf who stared fixedly over the old man's shoulder. Finally the Headmaster sighed and said softly "Will you tell me what the order was?"

"Protect the Lady Sarah from harm."

"Indeed. And since the Lady Sarah was in Hogsmeade, the elves had to go to Hogsmeade to protect her?" Grechler nodded. Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and made a steeple of his fingers while he considered the implications of that directive . "How did you know she was in harm's way?"

"There is a house elf protecting the Lady at all times, except during times needing privacy. The Lady is unaware of the house elf guards."

"I understand. Tell me, why did not the house elf guard simply remove Miss Williams? Why did so many rush to the defense of the village?"

The elderly house elf looked uncomfortable. "Harm can be more than physical. We determined that the Lady would be harmed if others were killed while she alone was saved."

The wizard leaned forward in surprise."So you acted to prevent the Lady from…emotional harm?" The house elf nodded uneasily. "Thank you Grechler. Please let the house elves know they performed admirably."

"Thank you Headmaster." The old house elf bowed and disappeared with a pop.

A disruption in the ward let Albus know that Severus was coming up the stairs. The wizard waved his hand at the door and opened it before the other man could knock.

"Come in Severus. Tea?"

Severus shook his head and sat down heavily in the chair. "I just returned from the Dark Lord's summons."

"What was Tom's reaction to this afternoon's surprise finish?"

"He was incensed, to put it mildly. It was a relief not to have been a participant and recipient of his temper. However, what was more interesting is that the Goblin King made an appearance." He paused to appreciate the Headmaster's surprise; it wasn't often he had that opportunity.

"He immobilized and silenced all of us, including the Dark Lord. He then declared the Dark Lord in violation of the Compact as the raid injured a claimed mortal and he named Sarah Williams. He stated he had no interest in the Dark Lord's...'petty machinations' as he called them as long as his goblins and house elves were not impacted and as long as they did not harm his claimed mortal. He ended by executing Thorfinn Rowle in a particularly gruesome manner for having been the one to harm Miss Williams."

Albus raised an eyebrow. "What was so gruesome?"

"He turned the man inside out." Albus paled slightly and indicated Severus should continue with his narrative.

"Lucius Malfoy was ordered to report tomorrow with all known information on the Compact and the Fae. I was tasked with discovering who the Fae was as he never introduced himself as well as everything Miss Williams knows about him. He also wanted to know what your response was to the raid."

"Hmm, tell him I appeared only mildly surprised by the house elves actions. Let him make of that what he will. There will be a staff meeting shortly and we will speak with Sarah about whether she wishes to remain at the school as well as how much of her story she wishes to relay."

An hour later, the staff assembled to discuss the attack on Hogsmeade and appropriate internal responses. Sarah joined the meeting, fully recovered from her injuries due to Madam Pomfrey's swift actions and Jareth's subsequent healing spell.

Albus looked over his staff, pleased with their calmness. He smiled at Sarah for her bravery and dedication by attending the meeting so soon after being injured. The staff discussion of the events was loud and boisterous.

Minerva spoke over the other voices. "Can you confirm that Hogwarts house elves participated in the defense of Hogsmeade? Have they ever participated in an offensive or defensive movement before?"

Albus raised his hands and silence fell. "Firstly, let me say that our top priority is to ensure that our students are safe. All student weekends will be canceled until further notice. Knowing that the students need to shop for Christmas, catalogs of shops that will deliver at no cost or a nominal fee will be distributed to each House within a few days. House heads, please advise your students that owls may be intercepted and to be discreet in anything they write."

Albus looked around the table, meeting the eyes of each instructor. "Secondly, I do not know if many of you are aware that house elves are not relatives of elves at all. They are actually a distant cousin of goblins. Their inherent magic is quite powerful, but as they are used as house servants, the extent of their abilities is not well known. To our disgrace, several centuries ago the wizards of the time cursed the race, binding them into perpetual servitude. They did not lose their magic, but were limited to using it only to fulfill their duties as a servant. The curse also acted upon their natures until they grew to actually desire their bondage to their house and family and punished themselves for any perceived failure in that duty."

He looked around the table again and met Sarah's eyes. "However, what we didn't realize is that their bondage to their house and family comes second to their obedience to their sovereign." He nodded at the quick understanding in the young woman's eyes.

Minerva frowned in surprise. "Why have we never heard of house elves having a sovereign before?"

"Their sovereign never issued a specific directive that we noticed before. Before you ask, many of us met him not that long ago. He is known as the Goblin King."

The staff glanced briefly to the young Muggle Studies assistant who raised an eyebrow, but waited patiently for Albus to continue. "Apparently the Goblin King was willing to wait and see how the wizarding world treated his subjects over time. However, he is still their sovereign and they have an inherent obligation to obey his directives. Those directives were to protect Miss Williams from harm."

Sarah had a brief look of surprise before a blush appeared on her cheeks and a small smile tugged at her lips.

Minerva evaluated Sarah with a shrewd eye before asking "But why did so many of them appear to fight the Death Eaters? If their directive was to protect Miss Williams, why not simply remove her from the situation."

"Ah, that is an interesting question and displays how house elves think. They decided that Sarah would be harmed if she survived while others were killed, and acted accordingly."

Over the babble of voices from the other professors, Sarah leaned towards the Headmaster. "They recognized that I would be upset, perceived that as harm and acted to prevent it? Wow…that's…wow. So was that the primary reason they acted or did it just suit their purposes?"

He whispered to her conspiratorially "That my dear, we may not know for quite some time."

_______________

Voldemort glared at his followers with displeasure. The last twenty-four hours had not lessened his wrath at the unexpected interference of the house elves nor with the intervention of the self-proclaimed Fae. He leaned back in his seat and motioned to Severus.

"Report Severus."

The Potions Masters stepped forward and knelt before the Dark Lord. "The Fae is known as the King of the Goblins also known as Jareth. Miss Wlliams met him as a teenager when he brought her to another plane of existence. It was at that time that he apparently marked her as his own, but appeared content to allow her to mature and complete her education. He hasn't told her what he plans for her after that. She knows he is considered immortal and extremely powerful, but she does not know the extent of his powers."

"Regarding the house elves, Dumbledore only expressed mild surprise at their intervention. He did learn that they intervened because of the Goblin King's orders to keep her from harm."

Voldemort frowned at the limited information. He contemplated the information for several moments his face revealing nothing of his thoughts. Finally he asked "Is the Muggle recovered?"

"Yes my Lord. Hogwarts mediwitch healed her, but the Goblin King visited the infirmary as well and was described as having cast some sort of spell over her. The woman has no scars from the Sectumsempra curse."

Voldemort waved him back and flicked his eyes to another figure. "Lucius, report."

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and knelt before the seated figure, unrolling a scroll.

"The Compact was signed early in the tenth century, my Lord. I brought a full copy, but can provide a summary." At the Voldemort's curt nod, he continued.

"Firstly, no Fae will interfere with the course of mortal conflicts unless the conflict is imposed over an area under Fae protection, impacts the subjects of a Fae kingdom or involves a mortal claimed by a Fae."

"Secondly, mortals will not deliberately trespass on Fae protected areas nor will they attempt to harm, ward, or otherwise interfere with the Fae or a Fae-claimed mortal. The only exception is if a parent or spouse of a Fae-claimed mortal offers to re-acquire the mortal from the Fae, with the purchase price being another mortal to replace the claimed or tribute sufficient to recompense the Fae for the forfeiture. However, the Fae is not obligated to accept the offer."

"Regarding penalties if either mortals or Fae violate the Compact, if there is evidence that a Fae has violated the Compact, an appointed mortal representative will situate themselves within a Fae ring for up to but no longer than a single dawn to dawn rotation. A Fae representative will approach the mortal to ascertain the particulars of the alleged transgression. If the violation is proven upon investigation, the Fae will compensate the affected mortals by repairing material damage, healing injuries or otherwise granting appropriate boons."

"If mortals violate the Compact, the offended Fae may impose physical and pecuniary penalties to all mortals directly or indirectly implicated in the violation. If a claimed mortal is killed through deliberate behaviors, any mortal directly or indirectly imputed in the death will be ceded to the offended Fae for retribution of the Fae's choosing."

"History shows that the Compact was signed by Auberon High King of the Fae; Ēadweard se Ieldra, also known as Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons; Flann Sinna High King of Ireland; Còiseam mac Aoidh of Scotland; Anarawd ap Rhodri, King of Gwynedd, also known as King of the Britons."

Voldemort considered the information and glared at Lucius. "How do we know what areas are Fae protected?"

"From my research into the Fae, these areas can be identified due to mushroom rings, stone rings and glades of oak, ash and thorn. I found no references to known areas, but will continue to search, my Lord."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, thinking. "Are the goblins of Gringotts under this King's control? And all house elves?"

"My Lord, when I questioned my own house elves, they reluctantly confirmed that they do have an inherent obedience to the Goblin King, but keeping the muggle woman safe was the first directive in over a century." Lucius frowned as if tasting something unpalatable and added "My own house elves also unwillingly stated that if orders from me and the Goblin King were contradictory, they would obey the Goblin King's orders first."

"I sent a servant into Gringotts and specifically had him ask whether they reported to the Goblin King individually or as an institution. They ignored the question and when pressed, he was escorted out of the bank by armed guards."

Lucius found the implications of goblin loyalty unnerving. What if this King ordered the banks closed? There would be a complete economic collapse in a very short time. He was already looking for alternative locations for his vault contents, but while powerfully warded, none of his homes had the same security as Gringotts.

"What did you learn of the Fae in general or this King in particular?"

Lucius further unrolled his scroll. "The Fae are acknowledged as one of the oldest races. They are also known as Fairies, Sidhe, Tuatha Dé Danann, The Fair Folk, Daoine Sidhe, Tylwyth Teg, as well as simply The Fae. There is reference to them being the children of the goddess Danu, and living in Tír na nÓg or the Land of the Eternal Youth. They are considered immortal, living thousands if not tens of thousands of years."

"Their appearance is humanoid, tall, graceful, easily identified by their pointed ears and the ethereal beauty of both the men and women. They are reported to have enhanced speed, agility, strength, hearing and smell."

"Their power is related to anything magical, especially glamours , shapeshifting, flight and Sight. However, they also are recognized as formidable warriors and are fiercely protective of anything they consider their own."

"The only record I could find of a weakness was to "cold iron". That is sometimes asserted to repel, contain, or harm faeries in various folklore. However, there are also comparable tales where the Sidhe taught humans metalworking, so the truth that vulnerability is unknown."

"Where do they live? Where is this plane of existence that the muggle woman referenced?"

"The most common reference was to a land named Tír na nÓg, which was considered "a place beyond the edges of the map". There is no record of being able to access it without Fae intervention. It is reported to be ruled by a monarchy with a High King and Queen who reign over demesnes ruled by lesser kings. One of those lesser kings was malevolent towards humans and inflicting severe suffering. The manuscript indicated that the Fae High King invoked the Compact to protect humans."

Voldemort growled and his anger rolled off him. "Each of you will explore and report back on alternatives that will prevent the Fae from retaliating if the muggle is injured, that will bind him to my service, or take him out of the picture. Dismissed!"

***************


	28. Yours

**Chapter 28 - Yours**

When the staff meeting concluded, Sarah felt weariness settle over her. Poppy had warned her that the effect of the healing spells and potions would leave her fatigued for a day or so. She had nearly reached her chambers when she felt the air intensify around her and paused in the corridor with a pleased smile. A warm hand touched her shoulder gently and she turned around, meeting Jareth's concerned eyes.

"Should you be out of the infirmary, Precious? You sustained a horrendous injury." His jaw tightened at the memory as his hand rose and touched her cheek tenderly.

"Between Madam Pomfrey's spells and potions and your own magic, I am fully healed Jareth, only a bit tired." She leaned into his tender caress and raised her hand to his. "Thank you for being there for me today."

"Where ever you are, my heart is also Sarah." She swallowed at the earnest emotion in his eyes. How had she ever been afraid of this man?

"Would you like to come in for a few minutes, Jareth?"

He clasped the hand touching his and brought it to his lips. "I should leave you to your rest, but if you are not too weary, I would like to assure myself of your health and safety."

The warmth of the smile he received reassured him that he was not intruding. They entered her sitting room and her fire jumped to life with a casual wave of his hand. He settled her into a chair and sat on the arm beside her as if he couldn't bear to be more than a breath away.

"Sarah, I know that you are a very self-reliant woman able to take care of yourself…"

Sarah interrupted him with a smile. "Perhaps in a non-magical world, but I can't say that I don't appreciate the extra protection you've given me. Not only Grep and Broul, but I understand the house elves are looking out for me as well because of you. They were the ones that routed the Death Eaters and brought me to the Infirmary." She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Without them, I wouldn't have survived."

Jareth's eyes darkened and his jaw tightened again at the memory of her lying pale and injured in the infirmary. "Your attacker is no longer a threat, Precious." Sarah's eyes widened at the cold implacable tone of his voice. "I also met with the dark wizard who ordered the attack and warned him that you were under my protection and that I would not tolerate any harm befalling you."

He raised her hand to his lips again. "Precious thing, my world was colorless and dreary before we met. Then your liveliness and delightful stubbornness splashed across my life for a few meager hours and I was mesmerized. The smiles and loyalty you gave your friends captivated me; and when I held you in my arms and we danced, I was enthralled. When you returned to your life, the beauty in my realm dimmed again, returning only when I watched you in a crystal as you grew into the glorious spirit I see today. Your intelligence and desire to learn and explore is alluring, your perspective on life beguiles me."

He paused to press a warm kiss against her palm and down her wrist, and then raised darkly intense eyes to hers. "I yearn to give my life, my love, my heart and my soul to you and for you. I ache to protect you, care for you, hold you, comfort you, listen to you and share your laughter and your tears. I cherish your friendship, adore your spirit and respect your ideals. I long for you when we are apart, no matter the length of time and regardless of the distance. Precious thing, it would be my greatest privilege to spend the rest of my life with you and to be there for you when you need or want me. I never wish to leave your side or live without you. Will you give me the great honor of being my wife and Queen?"

Sarah's eyes were glistening with tears as Jareth finished speaking. The intense devotion and passion his voice and eyes conveyed nearly overwhelmed her senses. Her voice trembled as she said "Jareth…I don't know how to respond. I...I…we've never talked about some things. I don't know what you expect from your wife. Do you want children? Would I be able to see my family? What role would your Queen play? Would your subjects and peers accept you having a human for a wife?"

"Oh Sarah, my precious Sarah…" He leaned over and pressed a loving kiss to her forehead. "Please forgive me for permitting my heart to abscond with my common sense. You have been through an agonizing injury and are exhausted. I do not expect an answer this evening and will not press you to accept me without due consideration. I simply could not let another moment pass without letting you know how deeply and ardently I love and cherish you."

He paused and smiled tenderly at her, pressing another soft kiss into her hair and reveling in her scent. "If you will permit me, I will come by at 8:00 each evening and perhaps we might spend an hour or two with one another settling all of the astute questions you raised."

She raised shining eyes to his and raised a hand to softly caress his cheek. "I would like that, Jareth." She wanted to say more, but the words couldn't seem to overcome the tightness in her throat. She stared into his intense eyes and slightly parted her lips. His eyes dropped to her mouth and with a small growl he bent his head and claimed her lips.

The kiss began as a tender touch, but as she responded he increased the pressure and allowed his tongue to tease her lower lip. Her lips parted enough for him to gain entrance and he gladly slipped inside to explore. He tasted of chocolate and vanilla and everything she enjoyed. She slid closer to him as his arm circled her shoulders seeking to pull her nearer still. One hand rose to caress the back of his neck while the other rested on his side, gripping his jacket tightly. His tenderness grew into fervor as he drew a small moan from her and his tongue plundered her welcoming mouth. He lifted his other hand to her hair and slid them through the silky tresses before dropping to her neck, reciprocating her own tender caresses without breaking the kiss.

When another moan of pleasure escaped her, she felt an answering shudder run down his spine. He lifted his head and seemed to be entranced by the desire in her eyes, her flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips. Sarah tried to draw his head back down, but he moved his hand from her neck to take the one from around his own neck and then brought it tenderly to his lips. He pressed a slow and sultry kiss on each finger and drew away, smiling in pleasure at her reluctance to let him go.

"You must rest, Precious thing. Go to sleep knowing that you are cherished and adored." He pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead, almost as if afraid to let himself touch her mouth again. He stood and pressed a warm and lingering kiss on the palm of her hand. "May only the sweetest of dreams claim you" he murmured.

"Good night Jareth." Was that husky voice her own? "Thank you again for…everything." Her lips curved in a sultry smile and she licked her lips. He chuckled appreciatively and kissed her palm again, before gathering his power and disappearing.

Sarah leaned back in the chair, letting her heart slow and her cheeks cool. "Oh my…a lifetime of that? I'm not sure I would survive." She stood up and banked the fire in the fireplace and turned with a smile to her bedroom. "But what a way to go…"

_______________

The next several weeks were a whirlwind of activities. Sarah's own classes had mid-term finals and Muggle Studies had final essays and exams due before the winter break. Jareth made a point of stopping by either her dormitory or her Hogwarts chambers every evening. He shared experiences from his own life growing up, and she laughed frequently at the mayhem a young Fae with a mischievous sense of humor could cause. She found his stories of his early life both entertaining and endearing.

He also shared what it was like to be the King of the Goblins, the purpose of the Labyrinth and the lessons he tried to teach the "runners" as he called them.

"I had to learn that life wasn't fair, I suppose" she chuckled looking up at him under her eyelashes.

He smirked slightly. "You did seem to have a mild fixation on expectations of fairness, Precious thing. I hope I also taught you to realize that not everything is as it seemed."

She returned the smirk. "Especially a certain frightening albeit attractive villain".

As the Christmas holidays approached, Sarah was delighted to see the Hogwarts Great Hall decorated festively. Hagrid brought in a large evergreen that all of the Houses helped to decorate. The formal dinner was held in the Great Hall the night before the students left for home. Sarah believed Mrs. Warbeck had outdone herself with her formal robes. She patted the iridescent bronze material, admiring the embroidered V-neck and the gold thread with crystal embellishments on the bodice. The material picked up highlights in her hair she decided as she looked in the mirror. She smoothed the fabric, pleased with the feel and texture. Overall, her image was one of elegance and she was satisfied with her first formal dress robes.

"Lady looks like a Queen" Grep noted with approval.

Sarah smiled and hugged the little goblin. "Thank you Grep. The King helped chose my attire. He does have a certain _flair_ with his own wardrobe."

Jareth met her outside her room when she came back from the feast and the look in his eyes as they swept over her left a small shiver running through her. She smiled shyly at him over her shoulder as she unlocked her door and invited him in.

"Does it meet with your approval Jareth?"

His tone was husky when he responded after she shut the door behind them. "You are enchanting, Sarah. You have entranced and beguiled me." He lifted her hands to his lips, kissing them in turn. "I am yours to command for you hold my heart in these tiny delicate hands to do with as you please. Although…" he looked at her tenderly "I would request that you treat it rather gently."

"Will…will you spend Christmas Day with me Jareth? I've enjoyed spending an hour or two in the evenings with you, but I would love to spend the day with you. If the kingdom can spare you, of course."

He moved to a chair by the fireplace and sat down, releasing one of her hands to wave the fireplace to life. With his other hand, he drew her down on to his lap, wrapping his arms gently around her. She laid her head against his chest, sighing in pleasure at the feel of him, warm, strong, and masculine. He whispered gently into her ear "Nothing would give me greater pleasure, Precious thing."

The students departed the next day and Sarah spent the day wrapping her presents for her Hogwarts friends. For Charity, she bought "_They All Laughed: From Light Bulbs to Lasers_" and "_What A Great Idea! Inventions That Changed The World_". She thought the Muggle Studies professor would not only enjoy them, but find them useful for the class as well.

She smiled as she wrapped Severus' gift in green paper with silver ribbons. She was pleased to find a pair of very thin leather gloves that would protect his hands while brewing, as well as a hand lotion with a masculine sandalwood scent. A hazard of working with boiling potions and hazardous materials was that his hands were often chapped and rough. She hoped he would find the items useful.

For Irma Pince, she ordered a subscription to a Muggle magazine called "Teacher Librarian". She thought the older woman might enjoy seeing how the non-magical Librarians worked.

The rest of the staff had drawn names for "secret Santa" gifts, a practice Albus had learned of from some of the Muggle-born students and had joyfully instituted among the staff. Sarah had drawn Minerva McGonagall's name. As the Transfiguration teacher usually wore some form of a tartan pattern, Sarah had researched it and commissioned a clan crest blanket. She wrapped it in a lively red paper with golden ribbons and hoped the older woman would enjoy it.

Sarah looked around the room and didn't see Grep or Broul, and hoped they were out exploring the castle. She quickly wrapped up a box of erasers for Grep that had 100 pieces of various sizes and shapes. A second box of Taffy joined the first. For Broul, she wrapped a box of multi-colored paper clips and a second of bubble gum. She knew the little goblins would enjoy them.

Finally, she opened the bag with Jareth's gift. She removed the lid from the box and smiled at the cuff links she had found at Dervish and Banges in Hogsmeade. One was of an owl in flight while the other was of a moon. They were charmed so that the bird lazily flapped its wings while the moon link reflected the current phase of the moon, moving from a full circle to a gradually diminishing sliver as the month progressed. Soon his gift was wrapped in the black foil paper embossed with silver stars and golden moons she had found. She twined the silver and golden ribbons together to form the bow.

Lastly, Sarah wrapped the flavored popcorn she had picked up at a shop in London. The tin was divided into six compartments and the store let the customer choose the flavors from the two dozen available. She had selected a regular Butter flavored for the first compartment, followed by Chocolate Drizzled Caramel Corn, Strawberries and Crème, Spiced Apple, Macadamia Butter Crunch and finished with Pecan Praline. The tin itself would make a good container for later use, she thought. She wrapped the large round tin red and green tissue paper and tied it with a white bow.

Sarah smiled at the little pile and called "Tilly!"

Almost immediately, the house elf appeared and bowed to Sarah. "Yes Lady? How may Tilly be serving you?"

"Tilly, I have some Christmas presents I was hoping you would see delivered for me. She pointed out the ones for Charity, Severus and Minerva. "And this one is for you, Tilly" she said with a smile, handing over the tissue wrapped gift.

The house elf looked at her with wide eyes. "For…me?" she squeaked? "You is giving Tilly a present?" Tears began sparkling in the large eyes. "The Lady is too kind, too good!" She hugged the large tin to her chest in awe.

Sarah smiled at Tilly's response. Just in case the little house elf thought the gift was simply the wrapped container, she hastened to explain. "The tissue paper is just the wrapping. The gift is inside, in the tin."

"So thoughtful …so considerate…the Lady treats Tilly like a friend…" The tears began spilling down her face.

"You've taken such good care of me while I've been here, Tilly. This is just my way of saying thank you and that I appreciate all you do."

The high-pitched voice whispered fiercely "Tilly would do _anything_ for the Lady. Tilly be delivering these gifts to the Lady's friends on Christmas morning. Tilly is saying thank you." She curtseyed low with her nose almost touching the floor, then with disappeared with a large pop taking the gifts with her.

Christmas morning dawned and Sarah awoke to presents piled at the foot of her bed. The first was from Charity, "Hogwarts: a History" by Chroniculus Punnet. She smiled in delight at having a permanent and tangible reminder of her time at Hogwarts. She was smiled in pleasure at seeing a package with Severus' name on it. Inside she found custom bath oils that he had apparently created for her. A large box addressed to her from her secret Santa was filled with what appeared to be rock cakes, small cakes with a rough surface resembling a rock. Touching one gently, she raised an eyebrow and then poked it harder. "Perhaps wizard rock cakes are made with real rocks" she murmured to herself.

She dressed in black wool pants and an emerald green sweater, tying an emerald green ribbon in her hair. As she gave herself one last look in the mirror, she was delighted to feel the air tingle around her and stepped out in her common room to see Jareth by the fireplace. He was dressed in dark black leather pants and a fitted black silk shirt covered by a black vest embroidered in emerald green. A dark green jacket so deep it was almost black completed his outfit, giving him an air of rich elegance.

She called out gaily "Happy Christmas, Jareth!"

His smile was warm as he responded "Merry Christmas, Precious". He waited for her to join him, and then dipped his head to claim a Christmas kiss. Sarah leaned into him, inhaling deeply as his lips caressed hers. He smelled of evergreen and sunshine and magic today, she thought. He drew away from her, smiling tenderly, caressing her lips with his finger. He leaned in to her ear and his warm breath murmured. "A most pleasant manner in which to start the day, Sarah. I could become accustomed to it."

Sarah felt her cheek warm, but smiled at him and reached towards the black foil wrapped present on the mantle. She handed it to him and said again "Merry Christmas, Jareth", then sat down in one of the chairs to watch him unwrap it.

He seemed surprised at the gift, and stroked the paper and bow gently with his fingers. Looking at her he gave her a pleased smile and sat down across from her. He untied the ribbons and set them aside carefully, then opened the present deftly, not ripping the paper. When the box was unwrapped, he folded the paper and ribbons and placed both carefully in a pocket inside his jacket. He gently raised the lid and then raised delighted eyes to hers.

"Sarah, this is an incredible and thoughtful gift. Thank you, Precious." He immediately waved his fingers and his cuffs opened, ready to receive her gift. He placed the owl on the right cuff, stroking it gently as he fastened it, then watched the owl's wings move slowly. With another smile he placed the moon link on his left sleeve.

Sarah smiled in pleasure as he surreptitiously stroked the cuff link. "The moon reflects the current phase and will change throughout the month."

"You could not have found something more appropriate, Precious. Thank you."

He knelt before her chair and drew her in for a kiss and then reached into his jacket and withdrew a box. "I also brought you a Christmas present." He stood and sat on the arm of her chair, one hand gently caressing her hair as she opened the box. Inside was a delicately wrought gold bracelet made to resemble ivy. Two charms rested on the chain; one was a delicate golden feather while the other was a heart. "This is beautiful, Jareth." She looked at the subtle craftsmanship of the feather and was amazed to realize that each individual barb of the vane was visible. She looked up at him. "Jareth, is this a real feather?"

He seemed a bit embarrassed as he nodded and caressed her cheek. She pressed "Is this one of _your_ feathers from your owl form?" He inclined his head again, as if unsure of her reaction. She reached a hand up and caressed his tenderly. "Then I am doubly pleased. Thank you."

Sarah held the bracelet out to him. "Would you help me put it on, please?"

"It is spelled to link together at your will. In the same way, when you desire to remove it, a simple thought will cause the ivy to release." He lifted it over her wrist and the ivy drew together, leaving no sign of clasp or interruption in the wreath.

Sarah smiled as she raised the bracelet up to inspect it. "Oh there's something on the back of the heart." She turned it to read "Yours". Her traitorous eyes filled at the simple word. She lifted her eyes to his and he dipped his head to brush her lips. "Just a reminder that you hold and own my heart, Precious" he murmured. After a second gentle brush of his lips to hers, he stood and drew her up beside him.

"We have Christmas day to enjoy together. Where shall we begin, Sarah?"

"How about breakfast in the Hall?" Sarah couldn't resist a smirk as they left her chambers. "I doubt anyone else found something like you under their tree. I will be the envy of the other ladies…and perhaps one or two of the men."

Someone walking behind them may have thought the Goblin King was strutting just a little.

***************


	29. Alcohol and Dreams Don't Mix

**Chapter 29 – Alcohol and Dreams Don't Mix**

Sarah tumbled in to bed pleasantly tired after spending the day with Jareth. She snuggled her pillow hazily and replayed the day's events in her mind.

They walked into the Great Hall together and joined the few students remaining and the staff for the Christmas Day brunch. Jareth received more than a few curious looks from the students and a few envious ones from the ladies on the staff.

Albus had played the gracious host immediately. "Welcome Your Majesty. It is a pleasure to have you join us today."

Jareth bowed gracefully to the table, then held Sarah's chair for her before seating himself beside her. "Thank you, Headmaster. It is always a pleasure to join Lady Sarah." Sarah tried not to roll her eyes at the title he gave her. Apparently defeating the Labyrinth gave her status Underground and she was considered the "Lady Sarah".

Sarah gave a warm smile to the woman on her left. "Charity, thank you so very much for the Hogwarts: A History book. I don't think you could have chosen a better keepsake for my time here." Sarah beamed a smile at her friend.

"I'm so glad you like it, my dear. And the books you selected are fascinating. I could barely put them down to come to breakfast." The older woman's pleasure was evident and Sarah was glad she had chosen the right type of books to capture her interest.

Irma Pince who rarely talked at meals leaned towards Sarah. "Miss Williams…Sarah…it was very kind of you to order the subscription for me. It will be interesting to see how Muggle Librarians organize and manage their libraries. How will the Muggle mail be delivered here?"

Sarah smiled at having worked through the process in advance. "I talked with the postal service in Hogsmeade. They have a process set up to receive Muggle mail at a common address and then they forward it with an owl to the appropriate recipient. Apparently it's not all that uncommon for wizards and witches to receive Muggle mail."

Madam Pince nodded. "Well thought out. Thank you, Sarah."

Sarah leaned forward and looked beyond Jareth on her right to Severus, not noticing the Fae's narrowing eyes as she addressed the Potions Master. "Severus, thank you so much for the special bath oils. The scents are everything I enjoy. I especially appreciate you taking the time to brew them for me. I know how little free time you have."

Severus saw the Goblin King's expression from the corner of his eye and barely hid his smirk. "While I admit that my leisure time is relatively rare, I found the brewing a respectable use of time. I anticipate using the brewing gloves and lotion with pleasure as I refill the Infirmary potions over the holidays. Thank you, Sarah." His voice was silky as he gave his thanks and inclined his head graciously to Sarah. He glanced briefly at the Fae before looking back at his plate and smirking at the man's reaction.

Sarah noticed the barely discernable disgruntled look in Jareth's eye and brought her wrist up to the table between them and then stroked the feather on her charm bracelet. His eyes followed the movement and then met hers. She smiled warmly and the stiffness in his face relaxed.

They spent the remainder of the day together. Sarah showed him around the school and they compared this castle to his own Underground. In the afternoon, Jareth conjured ice skates for them and they skated around the lake then returned to her room for hot chocolate provided by Tilly. The house elf had been awe-struck by being in the presence of the Goblin King, curtseying so deeply and repeatedly that Sarah had worried she would hurt herself.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in quiet conversation. When summoned in the early evening, Tilly had been beside herself when asked to provide a quiet supper for two.

Their meal started with an appetizer of grilled mushrooms stuffed with swiss, brie and parmesan cheeses. It was followed by a salad with prosciutto, sun-dried cherries and a cassis vinaigrette. Sarah was surprised at the entrée, as she didn't realize it was normally served at Hogwarts; a roasted duck breast with a sun-dried cherry red port wine demi-glace sauce. It was delicious. They finally ended the meal with a caramelized apple tart served warm over a vanilla sauce.

Sarah was surprised when Jareth said "Tilly, my compliments on an excellent meal. I am also pleased with how skillfully you serve Lady Sarah. She speaks well of you." The teary-eyed gratification and the adoration on the house elf's face for the compliment caused Sarah to gaze warmly at Jareth and send him an affectionate smile.

They ended the evening sharing a chair in front of the fireplace and sipping on cognac. Sarah hadn't tried it before and found it a bit potent, even after a full dinner. By the time Jareth kissed her good-night, she was lightheaded and uncertain whether it came from his sensual kisses or the alcohol.

Sarah snuggled closer into her pillow and drew the covers up to her chin before drifting off into a contented sleep.

_______________

Sarah glided along the halls of Hogwarts humming a Christmas carol. She felt joyful and carefree. When she felt a slight tug to the side, she automatically followed it. The scene around her shifted and clashed jarringly with her previously cheerful mood.

She was in a graveyard surrounded by figures in dark robes and masks. She looked around and recognized one of her students, Harry Potter. He seemed to be tied to a...headstone? And he was bleeding. The unmoving figure of another boy was nearby. Suddenly she saw Him again, that pale malevolent figure…Voldemort. She dismissed all of the other figures and touched Harry, bringing him to the entrance of Hogwarts.

"You're fine Harry, he's not here. You'll be fine. Sleep well and dream only of restful and happy sights. Perhaps winning a Quidditch match?" She faded from the dream and frowned. Blast that Voldemort character!

She focused on him and felt herself drawn further away. The sense of malice and cruelty increased as she flew across the dreamscape. The feelings were so overwhelming that she almost retreated, but she forced herself to continue. Slowly the room solidified around her and she saw her target.

He was alone in front of a fireplace, his red eyes staring at the flames as one hand swirled a glass of amber colored liquid. She shivered at the foul aura that surrounded him. He felt like viciousness, corruption and poison.

"What am I doing here?" she wondered. Her mind felt cloudy and it was hard to remember why she had been looking for this vile creature. "Oh, Harry…that's right…I need to protect Harry."

She glided to the seated figure and whispered "I will not harm children. I will not harm children."

To her surprise, his head whipped up and he drew a wand. Sarah fell back in surprise. Voldemort's eyes scanned the room, but he didn't seem to see her. He muttered "_Inveni N__otaque_**" **and a dark purple light flew out from the wand and filled the room. Alarmed and in fear, Sarah forced the scene away. "Wake up! Wake up! I need to wake up" she told herself in panic.

She sat up in bed, gasping and trembling. Grep crouched by her side, looking distressed. "Lady had a very very bad dream. Lady not go there again."

She tried to slow her breathing and nodded at the little goblin. "And Lady not drink cognac before bed and forget to meditate. Sheesh, what a horrible dream." She got up and went into the bathroom. She turned on the warm water and splashed her face. The mirror reflected how pale and shaken she felt. "No more alcohol just before bed" she promised herself. It was a good hour before she was willing to try to sleep again.

_______________

Sarah used the port key to return to her dormitory, pleased when she didn't stumble. After nearly five months, she had finally learned how to "land". The students staying in the dorm over the holidays had all drawn names and agreed to exchange on Boxing Day. Sarah picked up the gaily wrapped present for Sean Callaghan. An avid rugby fan, she had found a blue and grey striped Guinness Rugby shirt for him. She paused to brush her hair and tie it back. Nodding at her appearance, she headed to the door.

Several loud cracks startled her and she spun around, shocked to see several figures in robes and masks with their wands out. Grep pounced at the closest and Sarah dropped rolled and swung a leg out to kick the nearest to her. Even as she kicked, she heard several voices shout "_Stupefy!_" and red flashes flooded the room before darkness claimed her.

Sarah fought through the layers of haze fogging her mind. She was stiff and uncomfortable, lying on something cold and hard. She tried to rub her eyes and abruptly realized her hands were bound behind her. She listened, but didn't hear anything nearby. Slowly, she opened her eyes looking through her lashes before opening them wider.

"Bloody hell" she thought unconsciously using a curse she heard at Hogwarts. She was lying on her stomach on a cold metal floor, bars were visible immediately in front of her. She maneuvered onto her knees and looked around. It was a small room with metal lining the wall and floors. Looking up, she saw the same metal on the ceiling.

"What the hell" she wondered. "It's like they took a large broom closet and lined it in steel." With her hands bound, she couldn't reach her locket to port key away. "I guess the protections on the locket doesn't work if there are multiple people casting" she muttered.

She heard a door open and close, followed by footsteps coming closer. She quickly lay down again, hoping she could trick someone into opening the cage door.

"Don't attempt to deceive _me_, Miss Williams. The wards announced your return to consciousness. I hope you are enjoying your new accommodations." The speaker elongated his syllables and the 's' sounds.

Sarah scowled and returned to a kneeling position, then caught her breath at the pale red-eyed reptilian-faced figure before her. Narrowing her eyes, she leaned back to her toes and rose to her feet. If he was going to kill her, she wasn't about to face death on her knees.

Voldemort smiled with cruel satisfaction. "Come now Miss Williams. It is discourteous to ignore one's host."

She raised her head and looked at him coldly and tried for a mocking tone. "Such a heavy-duty cage for a non-magical Muggle. Are you that frightened of me?"

The red eyes narrowed and the mouth twisted with malice. Almost casually, he raised a wand and said "_Crucio_!"

Pain exploded throughout her body and her legs collapsed beneath her. Molten lava seemed to run through every nerve in her body and her bones felt as if they were on fire, eating away at her flesh. Her body convulsed in agony and her throat first paralyzed by shock exploded in a deafening scream. Her entire existence was centered in the agony twisting through her.

Abruptly the pain ended and slowly she began aware of her own rasping breath and trembling limbs. Lifting her head to look at Voldemort was more difficult than she imagined and she lay on the cold floor trying to breath.

Voldemort sneered at her. "Frightened of you? I think not. Did you think you could manipulate _me_? Did you think your pathetic mental attempts would be ignored? Instead, I was able to mark you and let my Death Eaters pick you up at my leisure." In a viciously gleeful tone he continued "Do you think your Fae king will enjoy the cell? It's made of cold iron, poisonous to Fae and heavily warded against even goblin and house elf magic. Once he tries to rescue you, I will have him and will bind his power to myself."

Sarah's eyes widened in alarm. Jareth at the mercy of this madman? She tried to think of a plan, a response, something to keep Jareth away but with pleasure dripping from his voice, Voldemort pointed his wand at her again.

"_Crucio_!"

***************

_Inveni Notaque__ = Discover and Trace_


	30. ACaged King

**Chapter 30 – A Caged King**

Jareth paused mid-sentence as he spoke to his Chamberlain with a look of outrage and alarm. The feather charm on Sarah's bracelet was more than a romantic gesture. It came from his owl form and he retained a magical connection to it. With the additional spells he had placed on it, it gave him another method of ensuring her safety as long as she wore the bracelet.

The sensation of danger filled him and he stood abruptly. Someone was attacking Sarah! Without a second thought for his Chamberlain, the Goblin King gathered his power and disappeared with a resounding thunder crack. He appeared in Sarah's university bedroom only to find a house elf and goblin lying on the floor and no sign of Sarah. He quickly examined the two unconscious figures and determined they were merely unconscious, not injured. With a wave of his hand, the house elf was sent to Dumbledore and Grep was sent to Jareth's castle.

He growled and looked at the mirror on the back of the door. With a muttered spell, the mirror clouded and then replayed the last images it had reflected. Those were the minions of the so-called Dark Lord? They deliberately violated the Compact and attacked his Chosen after his warning? The growl in his throat became more feral and power radiated in waves from his rigid figure.

He drew on his link to the feather and snarled in frustration. His Sarah must be unconscious, the same as the goblin and house elf. He summoned a crystal. "Show me Sarah" he demanded. The image was blurred as though his magic couldn't quite focus, but he saw her lying on a flat surface, her eyes closed.

With a deafening crack, he disappeared from the London dormitory and reappeared at the last location he had seen Voldemort. It was quiet, his Fae hearing detected no forms, but he summoned crystals and flung them out in the room. "Find Sarah or Voldemort" he commanded. The crystals spun out of the room, down hallways seeking but not finding. Voldemort was no longer here and neither was Sarah.

Jareth snarled in frustration and settled himself to wait for Sarah to regain consciousness.

_______________

Every few minutes, Jareth tested the link to the feather on Sarah's charm bracelet. Finally, he found the link active and knew she was awake. He drew his power around himself like a cloak and threw himself through space to reach her side.

He was temporarily stopped by wards keyed to the type of magic he employed, but was able to force his way through the barrier within minutes. Finally, he appeared in a small cell and spun around to find Sarah. She was huddled on the floor, a barely audible groan seeping from her lips.

He examined her quickly and found no broken bones, but her body was wracked with pain. He summoned a crystal and let it dissolve into her form, easing the pain and trembling. Rage began filling him, but he pushed it aside. "Sarah…Precious thing…hush, I have you. You are safe now."

Her eyes opened and she tried to focus through the pain. "Jareth…it's a trap. You have to leave."

"Shh, Precious." He found her hands bound behind her back and snapped the chains easily. With a gentle touch, he caressed her cheek and pressed a loving kiss to her soft skin. He summoned another crystal and tossed it above her. The crystal shimmered in the air, expanding and surrounding Sarah with a soft glow that grew brighter and more intense. Sarah gasped "No Jareth! Don't send me away! I love you! I want to stay with you!" The glow flared and then disappeared, taking Sarah with it.

Sarah found herself gently deposited on a bed in the Hogwart's Infirmary. Poppy's surprised voice exclaimed "What? Sarah?"

The young woman twisted around scanning the room and her face fell when she didn't see Jareth. "Poppy, tell the Headmaster…Voldemort captured me, but Jareth did something and sent me here. I thought he would be here, but if not…if Voldemort has him trapped in that iron cell…he wants to _bind_ him!"

The mediwitch looked up from the scan she was running on Sarah. "I'll tell him, Sarah. But first you need to drink some potions. You've been exposed to the cruciatus curse more than once. You need treatment."

Jareth stood in the iron-clad cell, folded his arms and waited with a feral glare as the door opened and footsteps approached.

Voldemort appeared and sneered at the tall Fae. "Every creature has its weakness, Goblin King. Did you think we wouldn't find out who you were? Did you think we didn't know that iron is your vulnerability?" His voice rose mockingly. "You dared to come into _my_ stronghold, kill one of _my_ followers and give _me_ ultimatums?"

Jareth narrowed his eyes and his voice was frigid when he spoke. "Yes, every creature has a vulnerability. I understand that _you_ were defeated by a babe-in-arms, then by that same child when he was a mere one and ten years. You captured him again when he was three and ten, but could not hold on to him, could you?"

"You mock what you do not understand. Only my body was destroyed, but my spirit survived to reclaim a body. My power and my followers continue to grow. And once I bind your powers to my own, you will learn what it means to be one of my servants."

Jareth allowed a slow and haughty sneer to show. "Foolish mortal, did you never wonder why the Compact had no clause about harming a Fae?"

Voldemort frowned. He expected anger, ranting, useless attempts at spellcasting. Not a arrogant sneer. "Why do you think I care about a Compact signed by kings long dead? I make my own rules."

The disdainful sneer was joined by amusement. "There was nothing in the Compact about harming a Fae because the High King did not choose to restrict us from defending ourselves or seeking retribution _in whatever manner we selected_."

"Retribution? From the Fae trapped inside a cell of cold iron?" Voldemort's words dripped malice.

"It is obvious why a child can defeat you, obtuse mortal. Did you honestly believe that my people would allow the centuries to pass and do nothing to counter a weakness to iron?"

Voldemort's eyes flickered over the Fae and the cell and then widened as the Fae's form shimmered before he phased through the iron bars solidifying outside the cell a few feet from the wizard. He drew his wand and shouted "_Avada Kedavra_!" Green light exploded from his wand and rushed towards the Fae.

Jareth indifferently held up one hand, palm out and intercepted the light. He encircled one hand with the other, congealing the light into a green globe. "An interesting toy, but I have no need of it. Would you like it back?" He tossed the globe indifferently towards Voldemort who dodged to avoid it.

The Fae's smirk dropped and his face became cold and deadly reminding Voldemort he was facing a Fae _King_. With a flick of the Fae's fingers, Voldemort was once again paralyzed. "You abducted and injured my Claimed after my warning and I find you in violation of the Compact. You harmed my subjects who were protecting her, another violation of the Compact. And you attacked a Fae, and not only a Fae but a King and member of the High Court."

Jareth stalked towards Voldemort and his voice dropped to a low growl as raw magical power began to flood the room. "Tell me mortal, if I killed for harm done to my Claimed, what do you think I will do to one who ignored the first warning, caused more harm to my Chosen and escalated the conflict?"

***************


	31. Well Played

**Chapter 31 – Well Played**

The mediwitch tried to keep the aggravation out of her voice as she attempted to persuade her recalcitrant patient. "Sarah, if you don't lie down and rest, I'm going to put a full body bind on you. You need to let the potions heal the damage done by the cruciatus curse and we can't do anything else at the moment. Albus is on his way here. Take a deep breath and calm yourself until he arrives."

The younger woman's eyes were filled with tears. "Poppy, how can I rest when Voldemort has Jareth? Not only is he trapped in an iron cage by that madman, but Voldemort wants to 'bind' Jareth's powers and intimated that he would steal them. We have to do something!"

"I believe you may rest peacefully, my dear". The Headmaster smiled as he made his way to her bed.

"Albus, how can you say that when that sadistic lunatic has him trapped?" Sarah was panic-stricken trying to get the Hogwarts staff to understand the peril Jareth was in.

The elderly wizard patted her hand in comfort. "Tell me my dear, how did you escape and turn up here?"

"Jareth summoned a crystal and it transported me. But I don't know if they work on him. Or if he used the last power he had to get me out. Or what kind of trouble he's in since he's not here yet!" She raised pleading eyes to the Headmaster. "Please Albus, can't you send people to help him?"

Albus paused and his eyes became unfocused for a moment before he smiled at the distraught woman. "I don't think that will be necessary, my dear."

Before he finished speaking, Sarah felt the familiar sensation of power filling the room and then with a loud crack, Jareth appeared.

He barely had time to brace himself before Sarah jumped out of bed, threw herself into his arms, wrapped a hand around his neck and pulled his head down for a frantic kiss. Jareth wrapped one arm around the young woman's waist and with the other slowly caressed circles on her back, even as he responded to the kiss.

After a long minute, Sarah drew back. "Jareth, I was so worried about you! Don't you _ever_ send me away and face such evil alone again!"

He smiled tenderly and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Did you mean what you said, Precious?" He pressed a brief but tender kiss on her swollen lips. "Do you love me, Sarah?"

She blushed and nodded and then pulled his head down for another kiss, which he deepened as he molded her body to his. Finally, he lifted his head and murmured "And you will be my wife and Queen? Will you permit me to paint you mornings of gold and spin you Valentine evenings, Precious thing?"

Sarah gripped him tightly, keeping and savoring their closeness. "Yes. I don't ever want to let you go. I'll be there for you as the world falls down." She was rewarded with a breath-taking smile that lit his face and eyes. "No one should be allowed to be so incredibly gorgeous" she thought and then put the thought aside in favor of another deep and toe-curling kiss.

When she moaned at the astonishing sensations she felt, a slight cough from Albus returned them from their private haven. Sarah blushed at the amusement in the Headmaster's eyes, while Jareth smirked at him before smiling down at Sarah again. He seemed to drink in her features although he responded to the wizard's interruption.

"Headmaster, I only claimed the five wizards that were involved with abducting my future Queen and the one who ordered it." He glanced again at the wizard and curled his lips as if holding a diabolical secret. "I do abide by the Compact, after all. The remainder I will leave in your capable hands."

Albus paused for a moment, his amused expression giving way to surprise and hope. "The one that ordered Sarah's abduction... You defeated Voldemort?" The Fae had already turned away and was caressing Sarah's cheek again. He shrugged indifferently in response to the Headmaster's question.

"He did not seem to possess all of his soul. You will likely discover pieces of it littered throughout this island of yours. You might want to find and destroy them, but feel free to do so at your leisure." The Fae's lips curled again and the Headmaster swallowed at the look of malicious pleasure in that expression.

"Come Precious thing. You need to rest. Permit me to take you to your chamber." He didn't wait for a response, but lifted her in his arms, ignoring her gasp and disappeared from the infirmary with his future Queen.

"Albus?" Poppy's voice was strained. "Voldemort is gone? It's over? Just like that?"

The Headmaster's eyes were twinkling merrily again. "So it would seem, Poppy. So it would seem." He patted the mediwitch on the shoulder and turned to leave the room muttering to himself. "This should be an interesting discussion with the Minister."

_______________

Jareth kissed the sleeping woman gently and then bade the two goblins watching from the end of the bed to guard her closely. With one last adoring gaze, he reluctantly left her and returned to his kingdom. He summoned his Chamberlain for a brief update before retiring for the evening.

The Chamberlain inclined his head as he entered the King's study. He had been the King's Chamberlain for many years and was well acquainted with the young Fae king. "Is the Lady well, Your Majesty?"

"Yes thank you old friend. She was sleeping quietly when I left." He smiled in contentment as he remembered the vision she presented with her hair spread across the pillow, her face beautiful and serene in sleep. He shook his head, amused at how maudlin the thought of her made him. He returned his attention to his Chamberlain. "And how was the rest of your day? Did you get everything sorted out?"

"The day completed quite satisfactorily, Your Majesty. Of the newest goblins, two were assigned to the stables. Worgot was especially pleased to have new help in mucking out the stalls. The other three were assigned to the scullery. The kitchen overseer requested help with scouring dishes and pans while the head laundress needed help with the boiling. I am certain all three will be kept quite busy.

"That is acceptable. And the sixth?"

"Ah yes, Little Tommy." The Chamberlain almost felt sorry for the little goblin. Not only was he a runt, but he wasn't the brightest, even by goblin standards. He had been quite happy-go-lucky as far as goblins went, and seemed genuinely happy to do whatever he was assignment, which wasn't much considering his total lack of magic.

"Per your suggestion, he has been assigned to hand-scour the goblin chamber pots." The Chamberlain grimaced and added "Considering the vile things that go into goblins, what comes out is particularly repugnant." Normally they were magically cleaned, but the King had wanted the newest goblin to scrub them by hand.

Jareth nodded at his steward and allowed a smile to play about his lips. The mortal dared to harm his beloved, his chosen queen? He would regret and atone for that decision for centuries.

While the little goblin runt would work like a drudge and grin like a buffoon doing it during the day, everything would change at night. In his dreams, "Little Tommy" would remember exactly who he used to be. He would remember the power he once held and be able to starkly compare it to the nitwit goblin he was while awake. His dreams would be tormented by all the choices he made that brought him to where he was, by the memory of the Goblin King draining all of his magic before destroying his magical core. Every night he would strain and fight against the nightmares that held him hostage knowing there was nothing he could do that would ever change the wretched life he now led. He was trapped for the remainder of his very long life - goblins were practically indestructible - with no hope of reprieve or mercy.

The Chamberlain shuddered at the look on his King's face and reminded himself once again never to cross the Goblin King. His vengeance was both devious and terrible. Quickly turning to more pleasant matters he said "Now, about the upcoming nuptials and the coronation of your Queen…"

_______________

Several months later, the Aurors were pursuing the remaining Death Eaters with focused zeal. Cornelius Fudge did his best to assume or at least share the credit for vanquishing the Dark Lord, but even he couldn't find a spin that the wizarding electorate believed. There was no mention of a Fae King and no one paid attention to the Muggle Studies Assistant as she finished the term and then bid farewell to Hogwarts. Several of the staff were invited to the Underground for the upcoming wedding.

Severus strode into his chamber with an impassive face. The Headmaster had been oh-so-empathetic when Sarah Williams chose the Goblin King. "I hope you are not too disappointed, dear boy and can be happy for her" he said as he treated Severus to a bottle of aged fire whiskey. The rest of the staff had commiserated as well, giving the Potions Master so many sympathetic looks he had finally growled at them to leave him alone.

"Fools" he sneered once he was safely behind closed doors. He strode to a cabinet and poured himself a glass of fire whiskey and sat down in front of the fire. He sipped the drink and then permitted a smirk to appear.

"I should be able to get out of at least one of Albus' public events and possibly chaperoning a Hogsmeade weekend or two if I milk this properly." The smirk broadened into deep satisfaction as he recalled the conversation with Sarah.

"I need to learn how to think and behave like a Slytherin, Professor. Would you teach me?"

With a sneer, he responded "You are a little old to be sorted into a House, Miss Williams."

"I don't need to be a student of anything but learning how to tap into my inner Slytherin." The young woman frowned at him. "You may not have dealt with Fae before, but I have and this one especially. He is manipulate and devious. He plays games within games, each with hidden meanings. I need to learn how to recognize the game and win it without him realizing I even know the game is in progress. The only way I can do that is to learn the cunning and subtleties of a Slytherin. And you are the man who could best teach me."

He gave her his best glare; the one that said he would rather use her as potion ingredients than deign to speak with her, but she smiled back at him. "And why would I want to do that, Miss Williams?" The candid question was an assessment of her aptitude.

"Because for every hour that you spend helping me, I will spend an hour and a half watching the students that have detention with you."

He hid any reaction behind a jeer, ridiculing the offer, but was surprised that she had analyzed him enough to offer an incentive he could appreciate. Even so, he had nearly declined. The benefit wasn't enticing enough to become involved in someone else's _romance_. However, when the Fae attempted to manipulate and warn him to stay away from the young Muggle woman, that decision had quickly changed. He always enjoyed a challenge of cunning and wits. Sarah had been an apt pupil, absorbing the nuances quickly. It necessitated them spending time together which led to the rumors, but it hadn't been as tedious as he had supposed. And at the end, the Goblin King chased the young woman until she caught him, giving Severus the most entertainment he had enjoyed in years. .

The Potions Master raised his glass in salute. "Well played Miss Williams. Well played. Here is to your Happily Ever After."

_Finis_

***************

_Thank you for reading this Labyrinth and Harry Potter crossover through to its completion. I hope you enjoyed it._


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